Hellboy: A Land of Wonder
by backbreakingmetal
Summary: Hellboy is accidentally transported to Wonderland, where he tries to find his way back home while having to battle creatures that were thought to only be fiction.
1. Land of what?

The English countryside was clear and bright, the sun casting warm rays down on the hills of green. Three large SUVs moved along the country road, swiftly driving along the old pavement towards a large house standing on the rise of a grassy hill. The gray and black stone stood in stark contrast to the hills of green and sky of blue around it. The three SUVs pulled into the home's large circular driveway, sliding to a stop on the gravel. Black suited men piled out from the first two vehicles, moving quickly to the house. The third SUVs passenger's door opened and a blonde haired woman climbed out, her brown jacket over her shoulder.

"This is the place."

One of the rear doors opened and a greenish blue skinned man climbed out, his white eyes blinking in the bright sun. Abe stretched his arms out, and then looked back into the rear of the SUV.

"C'mon, Red. We're here."

The rear door of the SUV popped open and the vehicle suddenly lurched as a massive weight was suddenly lifted off its rear axel. Hellboy climbed out from the SUV, stretching his arms out.

"Jeez…can we please get something bigger next time."

Kate smiled, looking back at Hellboy as she walked towards the house.

"Sorry, Red, but it was the best we could do in such a short time. This did come up after we finished up in Ireland and this was on the way back."

Hellboy and Abe started behind her, Hellboy rubbing the back of his neck.

"That doesn't mean a truck is too far out of line."

Abe grinned.

"A nice camper perhaps? With satellite?"

Hellboy grinned back.

"Now that I wouldn't mind riding around in."

Abe, Hellboy, and Kate walked through front doors of the large mansion, stepping into a large foyer. Hellboy let off a whistle as he looked around the spacious interior.

"Now this is a nice dig."

Kate moved quickly into the mansion, a number of other B.P.R.D. agents pulling a variety of small little electronic devices out and scanning around. Abe moved over to a large bookcase, staring at it with a smile on his face.

"I do believe I could enjoy this place."

Hellboy pushed open a swinging door looking into a massive kitchen that was probably the same size as his entire room back at the Bureau.

"You and me both, Abe."

Kate called out to both of them.

"Calm down you two, we're just here to pull any unauthorized or unregistered items on our hot lists. The home has recently been purchased after sitting abandoned for the last few decades and the firm covering the owner is asking for a sweep. Apparently the man who built this house had a thing for…eccentricities."

Hellboy walked into what looked like an old office. An antique typewriter sat on a large oak desk in the corner, a small lamp sitting on the corner of it.

"This place is old."

Abe chuckled slightly.

"Keen detective skills, Red."

"What can I say? I'm a regular Sherlock Holmes."

Hellboy moved from the office into the living room, where a large painting sat over the fireplace of an elderly man, sitting with a smile on his face. Looking around the room, he also saw numerous pictures and paintings, all showing images of classic scenes from Alice in Wonderland.

"This guy did have a thing for Alice in Wonderland."

Kate let of a laugh.

"Well he should…he wrote it."

Hellboy looked at the nameplate under the portrait.

"It's says here this guy's name is Charles Dodgson."

"Yep."

"I thought Alice in Wonderland was written by Lewis Carroll."

Abe walked into the room, looking up at the painting.

"Charles Dodgson was Lewis Carroll. He used a surname when he wrote."

Hellboy scratched his chin.

"Oh…"

Looking closer at the painting, he saw a small gem imbedded in the bottom of the picture frame. Lifting his hand, he rubbed it slightly. Kate's voice came over his earpiece.

"Hey, Red, the stuff in this house is pretty old, so you might not want to touch anything."

The gem Hellboy was touching suddenly, broke off from the frame, falling into his hand. Hellboy's eyes went wide with surprise as he closed his hand around the gem.

"Oops."

Stepping back from the painting, Hellboy glanced over at Abe, who was busy scanning through another full bookcase. Hellboy looked around and quickly moved out from the room.

"I'm gonna step outside."

Abe waved his hand up as Hellboy opened the double glass doors, walking out onto a large patio. Walking slowly around, Hellboy pulled a cigar out form his pocket, lighting it. Lifting the gem up, Hellboy walked off the patio and into a large, overgrown garden. A pool of water stood in the center of the garden, its water strangely clear. Hellboy moved to its edge and looked down into it, seeing the bottom maybe four or five feet deep. Tossing the gem up into the air, Hellboy caught it in his stone hand and turned to head back to the house, but the stone under his foot suddenly gave way.

"Oh…crap…"

Hellboy swung his arms around trying to keep his balance, but he suddenly dropped backward, falling into the water. The water swirled around him, as he dropped to the bottom of the water. Hellboy pushed himself up in the water, breaking back through the surface, taking in a deep lung full of air. Swimming over to the side, Hellboy hauled himself up out of the water, sitting on the bank. Wiping water from his eyes, Hellboy coughed trying to clear his lungs out.

"Oh no, by all means, no one help……me"

Hellboy opened his eyes and looked around, finding himself in a completely different place from where he fell into the water. Instead of a nicely manicured garden in northern England, he now found himself sitting in the center of a small clearing in a large, ominous looking forest. Old trees stretched up high into the sky, their branches interweaving above ground turning the forest into a dark, shadow filled nightmare of a world. Hellboy looked around.

"Oh crap."

Standing up, Hellboy glanced down at the shallow pool.

"How in the hell?"

Hellboy then scratched his head and opened his hand, staring down at the small white gem.

"Oh…"

Hellboy held the gem up close to his eye, inspecting the small symbols carved into it as he keyed his mic.

"Hey, Kate, mind telling me where I am?"

Static filled his earpiece. Hellboy sighed slightly and then keyed the mic again.

"Abe?…Anybody?"

Hellboy turned his mic off and shook his head.

"Great…"

Opening his hand again, Hellboy looked at the gem, then back at the pool of water.

"Well…might as well try…"

Hellboy ran and leapt into the air, cannonballing into the pool of water with a splash. Pushing himself back out of the water, Hellboy found himself still in the forest.

"Of course….sure…why not…"

Hellboy mumbled to himself as he stood in the chest deep pool, slowly walking back over to the edge. Climbing out of the water, Hellboy wiped his arms, trying to dry his jacket.

"There's always got to be something…book of spells…sword of some dead guy…some pissed off demon…some little gem that transports you to a different world…"

The brush suddenly rustled. Turning Hellboy watched as a pale, almost white skinned man walked out from the forest. The skinny man was tiny, standing maybe three and a half feet tall and was dressed in a checkered brown and red suit. The man held a large pocket watch in his hand, shaking his head quickly.

"Oh, my……oh, dear…"

Hellboy looked at the small man, raising an eyebrow.

"Uh…hey…"

The man leapt up in shock, letting off a shriek of surprise, dropping his watch to the ground. Hellboy held up his hands.

"Whoa! Relax…I'm not gonna hurt you!"

The man stared at Hellboy, looking him up and down, his eyes showing nothing but terror.

"Did the Queen send you? Please, I'm only a little late!"

"Hey, relax! I'm just trying to figure out where I am."

The man stared at Hellboy, raising an eyebrow above his small glasses.

"This is the Wonderland Forest, of course."

Hellboy stared at the little man with confusion.

"The…Wonderland Forest?"

"Yes, are you hard of hearing? Now I must be going, I am very, very late for a very, very important date."

The little man turned and started running through the forest. Hellboy stood momentarily, and then ran after him.

"Hey! I wanna ask you some more questions!"

But the little man moved amazingly fast, zipping through the forest quickly. Hellboy tried to keep up, but eventually came to a stop, leaning against a tree to catch his breath.

"Fast little fella."

A squawk from above suddenly caught Hellboy's attention. Looking up, Hellboy saw a red and white polka dotted crow landing on a tree branch that stretched out over his head. The bird stared down at him, squawking once more at him. Hellboy stared back at the bird.

"What are you looking at?"

The bird cocked its head at him, and then suddenly spoke.

"Stranger!"

Hellboy stared at the bird, shaking his head slightly.

"Okay…you can talk…"

"Stranger in Wonderland!"

Hellboy opened his mouth to say something, but the bird suddenly flew off, disappearing into the patchwork of branches above Hellboy's head. Hellboy stared after it for a moment, then started to walk through the forest mumbling.

"This place just gets weirder and weirder."

--------------------------------------------------

The massive castle stood in the center of the large city known as Wonderland, its black walls stretching high into the air. The crow flew above the dark city, flapping its wings wildly as it moved towards the castle. Streaking through snake trails of smoke rising from the city, the bird flew up to the top of one of the numerous towers of the castle. Landing on the railing of a balcony, it squawked loudly. Emerging from the red satin curtains and stepping out onto the balcony, a beautiful woman moved towards the bird.

"What have you brought me?"

The bird bowed its head down as the woman approached.

"I bring news of a stranger, my Queen."

The Red Queen stood wrapped in a tight, flowing red dress, her straight, black hair cascading down her back. The Queen's ruby red lips slowly curled into a smile.

"A stranger?"

The bird nodded, and then lifted its head up, its eyes suddenly beaming bright light. A ball of white formed above the bird, its surface shifting to reveal an image of a large, red man leaning against a tree. The Queen leaned closer to the image as the man lifted his head staring out from the image at the Queen.

"A stranger indeed. You have done well, my servant."

The image faded away as the bird dropped its head back down, looking at the Queen.

"Thank you, my Queen."

The Queen smiled as she moved back through the curtain into her throne room. The massive room was covered with red drapes and large portraits of the Queen, each capturing her beauty as best they could. Two short, slightly overweight men stood on either side of the balcony entrance as the Queen walked through, both keeping their heads low. The Queen ignored them as she moved to her throne, the two moving behind her silently. As the Queen sat, the two men took up place on either side of her, their eyes remaining towards the ground, never looking at the Queen.

Reaching out to a small table next to her throne, the Queens opened a small box that contained what looked to be fine, white sand. Taking a pinch of it, the Queen lifted her fingers and blew the sand into the air. The sand swirled into a circle in front of her, slowly shimmering until becoming an almost solid image, the image slowly shifted, revealing Hellboy walking through the Wonderland Forest. A wicked grin slowly formed on the Queen's face, her eyes glinting with interest.

"Let us see what this stranger can do."

* * *

Ok, in case you haven't figured it out, this story is a mix of Hellboy and Alice in Wonderland. I just wanted to say that this story will contain elements from Alice inWonderland, American McGee's Alice, and The Looking Glass Wars...plus Hellboy. Granted, I usually put a lot of action into my stories and this story will have its action soon enough...I simply hope you enjoy the story. This one will probably be pounded out pretty quick.


	2. The Bug of Destruction

Hellboy pushed through another wall of brush, moving through the forest. He suddenly paused, hearing noise and movement not too far away. Turning quickly, he jogged through the forest, suddenly emerging from the wall of trees into a small clearing. Houses stood around the clearing, their smokestacks slowly piping gray smoke out. Moving towards the village, Hellboy saw groups of small, dwarf-like people moving about. Most of the men carried pickaxes and shovels on their shoulders, hardhats with headlights sitting on their heads. Hellboy moved towards the village, but was soon spotted by one of the men sitting out in front of one of the many buildings.

"Stranger!!!"

The village suddenly erupted into chaos, people running all around, moving towards the buildings. Hellboy jogged into the village, his hands raised up.

"Whoa! Whoa! I just want to----Ow!!!"

A shovel suddenly slammed into Hellboy's knee. Hellboy grabbed his knee and turned to look at who hit him, but he was suddenly nailed in the head by the shovel. The bearded man looked up at Hellboy, holding the shovel ready as a few other men ran up, their tools ready to be used as weapons.

"Who you be stranger?"

Hellboy rubbed his head, looking down at the man.

"I just want to know---Ow!!!"

The man hit Hellboy in the head with the shovel again.

"I ask question first…you answer!"

Hellboy looked down at the man, grabbing the man's shovel so he couldn't hit him again.

"Listen! All I want is to figure out where I am and how I to get back to where I came from!"

Another man suddenly swung a shovel, clocking Hellboy in the head. Hellboy stumbled back shaking his head.

"Ow!! Why do you keep hitting me?"

"We protect Gnome Village. Strangers bring no good. We work mine for Queen…in return, Queen leave Gnome Village be."

Hellboy opened his mouth to say something, but the sudden sound of numerous trees cracking and breaking echoed into the village. The gnomes all looked at each other, and then slowly started to back up. Hellboy stood, looking into the forest, seeing treetops being torn down as something moved towards the gnome village. The lead gnome looked up at Hellboy.

"Stranger bring no good! Stranger bring wrath of Queen!"

Hellboy raised an eyebrow at the gnome.

"What are you talking about? What is that thing?"

"Stranger bring the Centipede!"

The gnomes all turned and ran as Hellboy looked back at the forest. A massive creature suddenly exploded through the trees, staring into the village. It was the size of a bus, but five times longer, with large, sharp pinchers clipping together as its massive red eyes stared at Hellboy. Hellboy stared at the huge, black creature his eyes opened in surprise.

"Yeah…that's big."

Letting off a screech, the creature suddenly barreled forward at Hellboy. Hellboy stepped back, looking around. Grabbing a wooden cart, Hellboy lifted it above his head, and then hurled it at the bug. The bug ducked its head, smashing through the cart, and continued forward, plowing into Hellboy. Hellboy was knocked through the air from the force of the hit, sending him slamming into the side of village building. Hellboy dropped down to the ground, shaking his head. The creature let off another screech, lifting its tail end into the air and slamming it down on top of Hellboy. Hellboy groaned under the weight of the Centipede's tail.

"Ouch…"

The creature lifted its tail again, trying to smash Hellboy again, but Hellboy suddenly rolled out from under it, dodging the shot but mere inches. Standing up, Hellboy grabbed the bug's tail and started to drag it backwards, trying to pull it out into the open away from the village. The bug spun around and dove down at Hellboy, its razor sharp pinchers snapping. Hellboy released the tail and leapt backwards avoiding the Centipede just in time as it smashed into the ground. Lifting its head, the bug started to screech again, but Hellboy stepped forward punching it across its head with his stone hand, cutting it off.

"Shut up already!"

Punching the bug again, Hellboy leapt up, and then drove his fist into the top of the Centipede's head, driving it down into the ground. Hellboy lifted his hand to hit the bug again, but it suddenly bucked its head forward, knocking Hellboy back. The Centipede jerked forward, it's pincher snapping at Hellboy, but in the last second, Hellboy lifted his stone hand. The sharp pinchers clamped down onto the hand, blocking the pinchers from reaching Hellboy. Hellboy punched the bug with his other hand repeatedly as he tried to make it let go of his hand.

"I'm getting tired of this!"

The Centipede suddenly pulled it head up, releasing its pinchers and, in the process, sending Hellboy flying through the air. Hellboy landed on the ground, rolling to a stop. Pushing himself up, Hellboy watched as the Centipede turned massive body around, moving towards him again. Looking to his side, Hellboy saw a discarded pickaxe.

"Screw this."

Grabbing the pickaxe, Hellboy stood up facing the charging bug. The bug reared up, diving down at Hellboy again, but Hellboy leapt to the side, dodging the shot. Quickly rolling to his feet, Hellboy jumped up, leaping onto the bug's back. The bug screeched a lurched around, trying to kick Hellboy off, but Hellboy lifted the pickaxe up into the air, then slammed it down, driving it into the bug's head. The bug screeched in pain, rising up, and rolling backwards, trying to crush Hellboy under its weight. The ground trembled as the Centipede slammed into the ground on top of Hellboy, but in the process, it drove the pickaxe deeper into its own head, killing it.

The village grew silent, the Centipede's legs twitching slightly as its body lay in the village center. Slowly, the doors of the village building started to open, Gnomes emerging out and walking slowly towards the bug. They all suddenly jumped back as the Centipede lurched up, pushed to the side. Hellboy shoved the massive bug off from him, and then slowly stood up, cracking his neck.

"Well that was fun."

Looking around, Hellboy saw all the gnomes staring at him wide-eyed.

"What?"

The gnome who had it him with the shovel walked up to him.

"You kill Centipede. You kill creature that threatened Gnome Village. You hero!"

"Uh…"

The gnomes all around Hellboy let off a cheer in celebration.

"So…uh…can you tell me how to get back home?"

"Wonderland one day away."

"No, not Wonderland…I'm not from there."

The gnome looked at Hellboy in confusion.

"If not from Wonderland, where?"

Hellboy grinned.

"That's a long story, but suffice to say, it's apparently a long way away."

"You must go see Caterpillar."

Hellboy scratched his head.

"Caterpillar?"

The gnomes nodded their heads.

"Yes…he wisest of all creatures in Wonderland. Even Red Queen leave him be."

"Okay…so where is this Caterpillar?"

"Mushroom Valley. Not far from here."

The gnomes pointed down a narrow road cut through the forest.

"Follow road until Wonderland River. Follow down river to Mushroom Valley."

Hellboy shrugged.

"Um…okay."

Hellboy turned and started walking down the road. The gnomes all cheered and waved goodbye as they danced around the dead Centipede.

------------------------------------

The Red Queen smiled as she watched Hellboy wander down the road away from the gnomes.

"This stranger is quite powerful. Perhaps I shall see why he is in my land."

With a flick of her hand the image in front of her suddenly faded away. The Queen stood from her throne, moving towards her balcony. The two men started to walk with her, but she held up her hand. They immediately stopped and returned to their places next to her throne. Walking out onto the empty balcony, the Queen smiled, looking out over her massive kingdom. Turning, the Queen stared at the wall, her gaze fixed on a section of the wall that suddenly seemed to shimmer.

"You, on the other hand, are coming with me."

A quiet, menacing voice suddenly spoke out to her.

"Yes, my Queen."

The Queen suddenly flashed in a bright ball of light, disappearing from the balcony.


	3. A Shimmer in the Air

Hellboy continued down the small road, hearing a distant roar of water.

"Guess that would be the river."

A bright light suddenly flashed in front of Hellboy, blinding him momentarily. Stepping back, Hellboy looked down the road at where the flash came from. A woman in a red dress stood staring at him, her hand slowly rubbing a necklace hanging around her neck, a slight grin on her face. Hellboy looked the woman over.

"Let me guess…the Red Queen?"

The woman smiled.

"Indeed, but I have yet learned your name."

"Hellboy."

"Hellboy…"

Hellboy stared at the woman.

"Yeah."

"That name simply won't do. It isn't fitting."

Hellboy grinned.

"Where I come from…it tends to fit just fine."

The woman slowly began to move around Hellboy. Hellboy didn't move, but kept his eyes on her.

"And where exactly do you come from?"

"Not here."

"That much I am certain of. I know everything in Wonderland…and you, most definitely, are something new entirely."

Hellboy sighed.

"Listen, lady, all I know is that I got hold of some tiny little gem with some carvings on it…"

The Queen suddenly froze in her tracks, her eyes registering slight surprise, but almost immediately they switched back to a calm demeanor. Hellboy noticed it, but didn't say anything, instead continuing with his story.

"…I fell into a pool of water…and I came up here. Now I'm just trying to get back."

The Queen moved closer to him.

"A gem you say?"

Hellboy glanced down at her, noticing that the pendant on her necklace had a small ruby red gem imbedded in it.

"Yep."

The Queen smiled.

"I shall take that then. As a token of loyal service in my honor. Your power will be of great use to me."

Hellboy chuckled slightly.

"Yeah…no. I'm just trying to get out of here."

The smile on the Queen's face slowly disappeared.

"Are you refusing me?"

"Pretty much. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got to find my way back home."

Hellboy moved past the Queen, continuing down the road. The Queen stared after him, hate beginning to build in her eyes.

"Fool…you have made a poor choice. I will see you dead for this dishonor!"

Hellboy continued to walk.

"Yeah…like I haven't heard that before."

The Queen continued to yell after him.

"I will see your skin tanned and hung on my wall…your head will sit on a platter next to my throne!"

Hellboy shook his head as he continued to walk. The Queen stared at him, her fists clenched tightly, suddenly speaking quietly, but angrily.

"Kill him and bring me his head."

The menacing voice spoke back to her, almost in a whisper.

"Yes, my Queen."

Hellboy moved down the road, coming to the Wonderland River. The road crossed over the river on an old wood bridge. Walking off the road, he stepped onto the pure white sand of the riverbank, following the river to where it suddenly dropped off in a waterfall, falling nearly eighty feet below. Looking out over the valley, Hellboy saw something that would have amazed anyone but him. Instead of treetops covering the valley floor, huge, multicolored mushrooms sprouted up out of the ground, turning the valley into a collage of bright colors.

"Guess this is the place."

Looking down the sheer cliff, Hellboy saw no clear way down.

"Nice of those little guys to let me know about the waterfall."

Over the roar of the water, Hellboy heard the barely audible sound of running footsteps. Stepping away from the edge of the cliff, Hellboy spun around to face…no one. There was no one on the riverbank, but him. Looking around, Hellboy suddenly saw clawprints in the sand, running straight at him. The air seemed to shimmer in front of Hellboy then something massive suddenly collided into him, pushing him onto his back. An invisible claw suddenly sliced across his chest, leaving a trail of cuts in his skin.

"Son of a---"

Hellboy was cut off as the creature punched him across the face. Hellboy swung his fist out, knocking whatever was on him off and sending it across the riverbank. Standing up, Hellboy glared at where the creature had hit the ground, leaving an indentation in the sand.

"I don't know what or who you are, but you've pissed the wrong guy off."

The air suddenly shimmered again, and then almost like water, the ripple moved down, revealing the attacker. The creature stood erect like a human, but was covered in a bright purple fur with black stripes. The creature snarled, revealing his sharp, short fangs, its yellow, feline eyes stared back at Hellboy with anger.

"Fool…you go against the Red Queen. And for that, I will carve out your eyes."

Hellboy grinned as he lifted his stone hand, waging his forefinger.

"Here, kitty….kitty….kitty."

The Cat roared as it charged Hellboy, suddenly leaping into the air. Hellboy jumped to the side, avoiding the Cat, then swung forward, punching at it. The Cat nimbly ducked down under the punch, then rose up, punching Hellboy across the jaw with an uppercut. Hellboy stumbled back, but was able to bring his arm up to block a kick at his head. Grabbing the Cat by the leg, Hellboy swung him around, pulling the Cat off his feet and then threw him into the air. Flipping through the air, the Cat spun around, landing on its feet as it hit the ground. Hellboy reached down to the ground, lifting a heavy rock from the sand, then tossed it at the Cat. The Cat easily dodged the rock, but was hit as Hellboy ran forward, planting his shoulder into the Cat and lifting him into the air. Hellboy spun the cat around in a circle, and then dropped straight down, planting the Cat into the ground with his shoulder. Standing up, Hellboy grabbed the Cat by the neck, lifting him into the air.

"Ready to give up, yet?"

The Cat roared as it brought its foot forward, kicking Hellboy hard across the head. Hellboy stumbled back releasing his grip around the Cat's neck, who quickly dropped down, sweeping Hellboy's legs out from under him. Hellboy dropped down to the sand on his back and was immediately pounced on by the Cat who brought both clawed hands straight down at Hellboy's face. Hellboy suddenly shot his own hands up, catching the Cat by the wrists and holding him. The Cat growled as it pushed all its weight down at Hellboy.

"You will die, red one."

Hellboy held the Cat's hands firmly.

"People just keep telling me that."

Hellboy suddenly brought his head up, nailing the Cat with a headbutt that stunned him, then flipped the Cat backwards off of him. Standing back up, Hellboy stumbled back as the Cat suddenly slammed a knee into his face. Hellboy turned back to face the Cat, but was immediately hit with the Cat's feet as it leapt up, planting both into Hellboy's chest before flipping in midair to land back on his feet. Hellboy fell back down to the ground, suddenly realizing how close he was to the edge of the cliff.

"Crap!"

Standing back up, Hellboy swung at the Cat, but it was easily ducked. The Cat grinned as it shot back up, nailing Hellboy with another hard shot. Hellboy slid back closer to the edge of the cliff, but kept his balance and then stepped forward, hitting his own punch. Hellboy charged at the Cat, but the Cat suddenly spun, catching him and flipping him up and over sending him sailing into the river. The river's current quickly pulled Hellboy to the waterfall. Hellboy pushed himself out of the water and saw where he was quickly heading.

"Oh…crap…"

Hellboy was pulled back underwater before he was sent over the edge down the waterfall. The Cat leapt up onto a rock and watched as Hellboy tumbled the ten stories down to valley below. Jumping back down, the Cat pondered whether to follow, but stared at the raging river.

"Water…"

The Cat shivered involuntarily, then quickly turned and walked away from the river. Jumping back up to the road, the Cat walked along the bridge to where the Red Queen stood, staring out over the river.

"The red one is dead as you requested, my Queen."

The Queen stared forward, her expression unchanging.

"Is he now?"

The Cat looked out over the river towards the waterfall.

"He fell off the waterfall. No one could survive such a fall."

"Perhaps…but I did not ask you simply to kill him…"

The Queen turned looking angrily at the Cat.

"…I told you to bring me his head!"

The Cat slinked backwards, bowing his head low.

"Now follow him and finish what I commanded!"

"But, my Queen…the water!"

The Queen lifted her hand holding it at the Cat.

"Do as I say or water will be the very least of your problems."

The Cat stared in fear, nodding his head.

"Yes, my Queen!"

Quickly running back down the bridge, the Cat jumped down to the riverbank, running to the edge of the cliff. Looking back at the Queen, the Cat slowly began to shimmer, disappearing into thin air before starting to climb down the sheer rock face, avoiding the splash of the waterfall as he went.


	4. A Marching Hare

The Mushroom Valley was a serene place, small butterflies slowly flapped through the air, moving about through the mass of giant mushrooms across the valley floor. A waterfall cascaded down from the cliffs above, pouring into a small, crystal clear pond. Two small, blue-furred squirrel like creatures sat on a rock under the shade of a green mushroom top, their elongated ears perked up, suddenly picking up a sound over the rush of the waterfall. Looking up, they watched as a large, red-skinned skinned man flew through the air, caught in the waterfall. They cocked their heads and watched as he fell, yelling all the way down.

"Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-----"

Hellboy was cut off as he smashed into the water, sending an upsurge of water high into the air. The creatures stared watching as the water splashed back down, suddenly growing calm again, ripples in the water slowly circling around within the pond. They both jumped in fright suddenly as Hellboy pushed himself out of the water, walking to the bank and falling to his hands and knees on the grass.

"Ah, man……that freakin' hurt…"

Hellboy shook his head, trying to clear it. Laughter suddenly caught his attention. Looking up, Hellboy saw the two blue animals laughing.

"Oh, shut up."

Standing up, Hellboy stretched his back out, cracking it. Looking around, he saw that he had made it down to the valley floor, large, multi-colored mushrooms the size of red wood trees stretching high into the sky. Off to the side, a small path was worn down in the grass, slowly snaking through the forest of mushrooms. Starting along the path, Hellboy paused momentarily, hearing something moving. Looking around, Hellboy thought he caught a glimpse of something, but it was almost a blur, disappearing before he could clearly see it. Hellboy sighed, and then slowly continued down the path.

"I hate it when I can't see them."

Hellboy was suddenly nailed from behind, the force of the blow sending him tumbling forward. Spinning around, he caught a glimpse of something as it leapt up and away.

"What the fu--"

Hellboy was cut off as the creature suddenly shot out form beside him, punching him across the face. Hellboy started to turn, back around, but was suddenly assaulted with numerous blows, the hits coming in a rapid succession to his head and chest. Hellboy shoved his hands out, pushing the creature back.

"I swear to God, you purple son of a…."

Hellboy looked forward expecting to see the Cat, but instead a gray-skinned man looked at him. The eyes staring back at him were completely black, his ears were elongated, pulled back around his head into what would have been a ponytail if it were made of hair. The man slowly bounced up and down on his feet, circling around Hellboy with ease.

"Okay…not quite what I was expecting, but somehow unsurprising around here."

The man spoke to Hellboy as he continued to circle him.

"You won't get to the Caterpillar."

"Listen, buddy, all I want to do is---"

Hellboy was cut off as the man suddenly leapt up, nailing a kick across his face. Hellboy stumbled, but was immediately dropped down to the ground as the man swept Hellboy's legs out from under him. As Hellboy's back landed on the ground, the man had already leapt up into the air, driving both of his feet into Hellboy's stomach. Staring down at Hellboy, the man smiled.

"Name's Hare, creature…"

Leaping off Hellboy, Hare leapt up into the air, bring he knee straight down at Hellboy's face. Hellboy rolled out from underneath just in time. Coming back up to his knees, Hellboy looked towards Hare, but he was gone, suddenly landing behind Hellboy and grabbing him around the neck in a rear choke.

"…and I will not let you harm the Caterpillar!"

Hellboy stood up, lifting Hare up off the ground. Reaching backwards, he grabbed Hare, dropped forward, throwing Hare through the air. Rolling as he landed, Hare jumped back up to his feet and charged at Hellboy. Hellboy stood ready.

"I'm not here to harm anybody, but if you keep hitting me, I'm gonna get mad!"

Hellboy jumped forward, reaching out to grab Hare, the Hare suddenly leapt up, wrapping his legs around Hellboy's head and pounding down into is with a blur of punches, before leaping up, kicking Hellboy in the back of the head before landing behind him. Hellboy stumbled forward stunned, but spun, swinging at Hare. Hare easily ducked the punch, rolling underneath Hellboy's legs back behind him, then leapt up, kicking Hellboy in the back and sending him face first into the stalk of a large mushroom.

"Too slow, red man!"

Hare ran forward leaping at Hellboy, but Hellboy suddenly spun around grabbing Hare and planting him into the ground.

"Name's Hellboy."

Hellboy grabbed Hare lifting him up into the air and punching him hard enough to send him flying into the air and landing in a heap on the grass. Hare quickly leapt to his feet, but Hellboy already was running, barreling into Hare and sending them both tumbling down a steep hill. Landing at the bottom of the hill, both men stood up, facing each other. Hare quickly leapt up, trying to jump away from Hellboy, but Hellboy's hand shot out, grabbing Hare by the ankle and spinning him around before throwing him into the stalk of a mushroom.

"You're not going to hippidy hop away that easy."

Hellboy moved forward, driving his fist at Hare, but Hare suddenly moved, Hellboy's fist driving deep into the soft stalk of the mushroom. Hare leapt up beside Hellboy, nailing a hard knee into his head, then jumped up again, kicking Hellboy in the back of the head and sending him face first into the stalk. Hare leapt back up, but Hellboy suddenly spun, wrenching his hand out from the stalk and knocking Hare out of the air.

Both men were so involved in the fight, that neither saw the air ripple slightly above a rock sitting a distance away from them. The Cat squatted camouflaged on the rock, his eyes fixed on what he was seeing. His hair stood on end as he suddenly saw who Hellboy was fighting.

"Hare!!!"

Hissing, the Cat quickly leapt up, climbing onto the top of a mushroom, leaping from one to the next as he moved towards the fight.

Hare leapt up, kicking Hellboy again, sending him back. Stepping forward, he kicked at Hellboy again, but Hellboy caught the kick.

"Will you stop kicking me for five minutes!"

Hare suddenly jumped up, nailing Hellboy with a kick under the jaw with his other foot, flipping and landing on his feet as Hellboy dropped down to the ground. Leaping on top of Hellboy, Hare started to pummel him with punches. Hellboy tried to cover up, blocking as many of the hits as he could, but Hare was suddenly knocked off Hellboy, something colliding into him from the side. Rolling along the ground, Hare was suddenly pinned to the ground, fighting an invisible enemy. Sitting up, Hellboy looked over and saw the air shimmer as the Cat suddenly revealed himself, driving his claws down at Hare. Hare gripped the Cat's wrists trying to hold off the strike.

"You!!!"

The Cat roared as it pushed harder down at Hare.

"Me, traitor!!!"

The Cat tried to push down harder, but felt a tap on his shoulder.

"Excuse me…"

The Cat turned, but Hellboy grabbed him around the neck, pulling him off Hare and throwing him through the air. The Cat sailed through the air, cart wheeling before landing back on his feet. Staring at Hellboy, the Cat roared.

"This is not your fight, red one! You will die soon enough!"

Charging, the Cat leapt up, slicing down at Hellboy. Hellboy sidestepped the strike and moved around, dodging the Cat as it continuously sliced its claws through the air at him. Hare sat up on the ground and watched as the Cat attacked Hellboy, reaching into a small bag hanging from his belt. Cat swung again at Hellboy, but Hellboy dodged the shot again and suddenly stepped forward, punching the Cat. The Cat stumbled back and roared, charging at Hellboy again. Hellboy stood ready, but Hare suddenly leapt in front of Hellboy, popping open a bottle and throwing the liquid out, splashing it across the Cat. The Cat stumbled back staring at his wet fur in shock. Hare grinned, dropping the empty bottle.

"Water."

The Cat stared in horror, then suddenly turned, running off into the forest of mushrooms. Hellboy and Hare looked after him, watching as the Cat shimmered trying to camouflage, but was unable to, his fur matted and wet. Hare smiled.

"He really hates water."

Hellboy looked over at Hare.

"So what's his problem with you?"

"I used to be apart of the Red Queen's master guard. Her best assassins. But my eyes were opened to her evil when she sent me to kill the Caterpillar. He showed me what is true in the world and now I protect the Caterpillar from my former comrades."

Hare looked back over at Hellboy.

"What have you done that has sent Red Queen's assassins after you?"

Hellboy shrugged.

"I dunno…apparently a lot of people just don't like me."

Hare grinned as he held out his hand to Hellboy.

"Well, my apologies. I mistook you for a follower of the Red Queen."

Hellboy took the hand, shaking it.

"It's the skin, isn't it? People always say it's the skin."

Hare chuckled.

"Well, it doesn't help. But now that you have proven your intentions, I shall take you to the Caterpillar."

"Okay."

Hare turned and started to walk through the forest, Hellboy walking behind him as he checked his nose to see if it was broken.

"Man…you kick hard."

Hare chuckled as he continued to walk.

--------------------------------------------

The Red Queen's fist shook with anger as she watched Hare lead Hellboy through the Mushroom Valley. Turning away from the image, she lifted her hand and waved her fingers. A bright flash immediately lit up her throne room, the light fading away to reveal the Cat standing, in the center, his fur still wet with water.

"My Queen!"

"Your incompetence has angered me for the last time, Cat!"

A clatter suddenly filled the throne room as a number of robotic card guards flipped up from the floor, their swords and spears aimed at the Cat. The Cat quickly dropped to his knees, clasping his hands together.

"Please, my Queen!!!"

"Enough!!!"

The Cat dropped his head, begging for mercy as the Queen stared at him in anger.

"It has become clear that I must send another to do this simply task!"

A throat suddenly cleared at the end of the throne room. The Queen looked up to see a man leaning against one of the many pillars of the large room, a teacup held in one hand as the other slowly twirled a small throwing knife. Looking up from under the brim of his green top hat, the man grinned.

"If the Queen wishes for a pleasant ending…there is only one she should be sending…"

The Cat hissed at the trench-coated man as he smiled back.

"No! I will not send you either, Hatter. The time has come to show this Hellboy what happens when the Red Queen is angered."

Hatter looked up at the Queen, removing his top hat and bowing his head.

"As you wish, my Queen."

The Cat stood up, moving towards the Red Queen.

"I can finish them both, my Queen! Just allow me one more chan---"

The Queen held up her hand, pointing her finger at the Cat.

"No…no more chances for you…"

The Cat opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off as he was immediately consumed in a bright red fire. The Queen laughed as she dropped her hand, the now blackened skeleton of the Cat falling to the ground in a pile. The man leaning against the pillar smiled as he lifted his teacup sipping from it. Turning away from the pile of bones on the red carpet of her throne room, the Queen looked at a card guard.

"Release the Jabberwock."

The guard quickly walked from the throne room, the other guards quickly standing at attention and then folding back into place along the throne room floor as the Queen sat back on her throne.


	5. Tale of Wonderland

Hellboy followed Hare as they slowly made their way through the mass of huge mushrooms. The air seemed to slowly grow hazier and gray, the smell of a fine smoke filling Hellboy's nostrils. Hellboy sniffed the air as they continued forward into an ever-growing haze.

"Something on fire?"

Hare chuckled slightly.

"No, not quite."

Moving out from the haze of smoke that surrounded a small clearing, Hare stepped to the side allowing Hellboy to pass by him, stepping into the clearing. The Center of the clearing had smaller mushrooms, maybe four feet off the ground, their wide round heads brightly colored like the massive ones of the forest. Hellboy raised an eyebrow at the sight in front of him. A large, greed and red colored caterpillar sat on the top of the small group of mushrooms, a large, purple glass hookah sitting next to him. Lifting the hose of the water pipe, the Caterpillar to a deep drag from the hookah looking at Hellboy with deep and thoughtful eyes. Hellboy just stared back.

"Uh…hi…name's Hellboy."

Breathing out the smoke, blowing a number of O's into the air, the Caterpillar slowly bowed its head.

"A pleasure to make your acquaintance, my red friend. I am the Caterpillar."

"Yeah, that much I gathered."

The Caterpillar smiled.

"And what do you come to discuss?"

"Listen, all I need to know is how to get back home. I tripper, fell into a pool of water, and the next thing I know I got purple Cats and pissed of Queens trying to kill me. Now granted…that's usually a normal day for me, but I kinda like to do it in a place I'm used to."

The Caterpillar nodded slowly.

"A pool of water, you say? In the middle of the Wonderland Woods, perhaps?"

"Yeah."

Hare suddenly spoke up as he stood off to the side.

"The Pool of Tears?"

The Caterpillar smiled.

"Indeed."

Hellboy glanced over at Hare, then back at the Caterpillar.

"Pool of what?"

The Caterpillar took another drag from the hose of the hookah.

"The Pool of Tears, my friend. Many years ago, when Wonderland was a peaceful and harmonious place, the White Queen ruled, using her powers of the Heart Crystal, an object of immense magic, to help Wonderland. She ruled justly and fairly, but her sister grew embittered with the power her elder sister had and began to study the forbidden dark arts."

The Caterpillar face grew saddened.

"She rose up and tried to destroy her sister, the White Queen. Wonderland was torn apart in war that lasted many years. The White Queen was unable to defeat her sister. And so, in an act of self-sacrifice, the White Queen to separate the Sacred Heart Crystal into two halves, using the entirety of her power to do so. Her sister was able to recover the red half, declaring herself the Red Queen and using the power within it to rule Wonderland with an iron fist, her mechanical card army keeping Wonderland under constant threat of destruction. It is said that the Pool of Tears was created by the tears of all the Wonderlanders who lost their Queen."

Hellboy scratched his head.

"Okay…so a pool of tears from a bunch of sad people transported me here. Why exactly?"

The Caterpillar looked Hellboy up and down.

"If you are not from Wonderland, you must possess something with a great bond to it.

Hellboy though for a moment, then slightly grinned as he shook his head.

"You said two parts…what happened to the other part of the Crystal?"

Hare once again spoke.

"No one knows what happened to the white half."

Hellboy reached into his pocket, pulling out the small gem that he had when he fell into the pool of water. Holding it up, he held it in front of the Caterpillar.

"It wouldn't happen to look like this, would it?"

The Caterpillar grinned as Hare's eyes went wide.

"Where did you get the other half?"

The Caterpillar chuckled slightly.

"Full of surprises this red skinned man is."

Hellboy dropped the gem back into his pocket.

"Demon, actually…but that's a whole different story…"

The Caterpillar slowly nodded.

"It is you, then. This is why the Red Queen has not attacked you herself. She knows you carry the other half of the gem."

"Why would that stop her?"

The Caterpillar smiled.

"If the crystal were to once again become whole, her sister would return and the Red Queen's own power would be trapped within the Crystal. It was the final spell her sister used her power on. That is why the Red Queen cannot let you have the chance to do so. That is why she will do anything to destroy you."

Hellboy sighed.

"Okay…so let me get this whole thing straight…I get the red gem from around the Queen's neck and put it with the one I got, White Queen comes back and I get to go back home?"

The Caterpillar thought momentarily.

"The White Queen indeed would have the power to return you to your home."

"Okay."

Hellboy turned and started to walk back into the Mushroom Forest. Hare quickly called after him.

"Wait! You cannot mean to attack the Red Queen alone! Her power is immense!"

Hellboy shrugged as he continued to walk

"Hey, I'm a demon from Hell who kills monsters for a living. A witch is a witch."

Hare suddenly appeared next to him.

"If you are truly going to do this, then there is one who can help you. The Historian of Wonderland. He is deathly afraid of the Red Queen and extremely loyal to the White Queen."

Hellboy sighed again.

"Let me guess…short little pale guy with a big pocket watch, tends be a quick runner?"

Hare stared at Hellboy for a moment.

"Indeed. His name is Herald. He is the one who can help you break into Wonderland Castle. How do you know him?"

"Ran into him in the forest when I first got here…long story short, he ran fast. So where can I find him?"

Hare reached into his pocket removing a small roll of paper. Unrolling it, he handed it to Hellboy.

"This will show you the way."

Hellboy looked at the paper, then back up at Hare.

"A blank piece of old paper is going to show me where to find what?"

Hare smiled.

"You must think of where you want to go and the map will show you the way."

Hellboy shook his head.

"This place has got to be filled with the stu---"

Hellboy watched as the paper suddenly grew dark, lines slowly forming over the blank page to create a map. Hare smiled as Hellboy looked back up at him.

"…oh…"

Hare held out his hand.

"Good luck, Hellboy."

"Yeah, thanks."

Hellboy shook the hand and slowly started moving through the forest, following the map as it continuously redrew itself to show him where he needed to go. Coming to the end of the Mushroom Forest, Hellboy looked straight up the cliff of the valley sighing.

"There just couldn't be a flight of stairs or an elevator…"

Grabbing onto the rock face, Hellboy started climbing, quickly moving up the cliff.

-------------------------------------------

The Red Queen stared at the image of Hellboy walking with the map. Her face was completely still, but her eyes radiated anger.

"So the fool has learned of my dear sister's last spell. No matter, he will not have any chance to cause its fruition."

Turning slightly, she looked over at a group of her science architects. The men stood in long black coats, a number of different tools and devices attached to different parts of the large coats, their eyes covered in dark goggles.

"Where is it?"

One of the science architects pulled a small electronic device from his coat, typing into it.

"The Jabberwock will destroy the stranger shortly, my Queen."

-------------------------------------------

Getting just above the tops of the high, colorful mushroom tops, Hellboy caught a glimpse of a distant, massive shadow in the bright blue sky. Black seemed to follow after the shadow, billowing out like large clouds. The shadow slowly grew larger and larger as it moved towards him. An echo from a massive roar reached Hellboy's ears as he looked at the shadow.

"Oh…that can't be good."

Hellboy groaned as he continued to climb.

* * *

Okay, this chapter was not so much action-y...but the next one will be. I hope you enjoyed it anyway, but if not, the next one will probably make up for it.


	6. The Jabberwock

Nearly making it to the top of the cliff, Hellboy turned back around and saw what was coming his way. A massive creature, seemingly mechanical, moved through the air at him. Large metal wings glinted in the sun as they swung, two long pipes jutting out from the creature's back spewed out black smoke as it moved through the air. Hellboy gripped the cliff tightly as the creature let off a deep mechanical roar.

"That's kinda big."

Hellboy looked back around and saw the creature looming down on him, its four immense metal claws stretching out as the creature dove from the sky at him.

"Crap."

The Jabberwock slammed into the cliff, driving two of its claws into Hellboy so hard he cracked the stone behind him. The creature wrapped its metallic claws around Hellboy, pulling him from the cliff and lifting him into the air. Hellboy struggled to break free from the grip of the creature as it tightened around him. The Jabberwock flew upward, rising up out of the valley carrying Hellboy. Roaring, it corkscrewed in the air, throwing Hellboy as it spun around. Hellboy tumbled through the air, smashing into the ground with a huge force. Groaning he slowly started to get back to his feet.

"Ouch…"

Looking around, Hellboy saw large formations of rock jutting up all around him, tall, skinny trees jutting out from the ground near the formations. The ground suddenly trembled under his feet as the mechanical creation dropped from the sky, landing across from him. Looking at what he was facing, Hellboy shook his head slowly.

It stood twice the size of the Centipede he had faced when he first arrived and looked like some strange mixed breeding of a praying mantis and dragon. Standing on its four legs, the creature slowly circled Hellboy, its wings folding back against its back, a long metallic tail dragging behind it. An elongated neck from the creature's body held the head of the creature, its mouth a shaped into a pointed beak. As the creature moved it creaked and popped like old machinery that needed oil. Large yellow eyes stared at him as the creature's metal beak snapped open and closed. Hellboy kept himself facing the creature as it moved around him, prepared for whatever may happen.

------------------------------------------------------

The Red Queen stared on as the Jabberwock slowly circled Hellboy. A smiled crept onto her face as the stranger seemed to be readying to fight her great war machine.

"This Hellboy certainly is wishing to die."

She slowly rubbed the red gem that hung around her neck as she slightly chuckled.

------------------------------------------------------

The Jabberwock roared as it suddenly charged forward at Hellboy. Hellboy stepped back, leaping to the side to avoid the charge as the Jabberwock ran past him. Digging its claws into the ground, the Jabberwock slid to a stop, spinning around as Hellboy rolled up onto his feet. The Jabberwock pulled its head back, opening its mouth up. Hellboy saw a slight glow start to form in it and quickly turned, leaping behind a large boulder as the Jabberwock fired a jet of flame out at him. Hellboy crouched behind the rock as the fire smashed into it, spraying around him. The Jabberwock closed its mouth again and leapt up, extending its wings and floating up with ease into the air. Hellboy watched as the creature flapped its wings, turning around to come straight at him from above. Looking around, Hellboy suddenly looked at the rock that he had used for cover.

"Screw it."

Digging his stone hand into the ground under the rock, Hellboy grabbed its top with his other hand, then grit his teeth as he lifted the boulder up, heaving it onto his shoulder and turning to face the Jabberwock. The Jabberwock folded its wings back and streaked straight down at him for a strafe with its fire. Hellboy stepped forward pushing off and throwing the rock. The large boulder spun through the air, smashing into the Jabberwock, before it had a chance to fire at Hellboy. Hellboy grinned as the Jabberwock tumbled from the hit, falling to the earth, exploding a cloud of dust upward as it slammed into the ground.

"Eat that!"

The Jabberwock slowly stood back up, turning to face Hellboy. A large dent was now formed on the side of its face, but the creature was otherwise unharmed. Roaring, it charged at Hellboy again. Hellboy dove to the side again as the Jabberwock charged by, but as he rolled to his feet he was suddenly nailed into the air by the heavy metal tail of the monster. Flying through the air, Hellboy slammed into a large boulder, breaking through it.

Hellboy shook his head as he stood up, but he was suddenly slammed back down into the ground as the Jabberwock brought one of its large metal claws down on top of him. Grabbing Hellboy by the leg, it lifted him into the air again and then slammed him down onto the ground hard. The Creature suddenly leapt up, flying high into the air, and then simply folded its wings, falling straight down, driving its rear claws down onto Hellboy, and forcing him harder into the ground.

The Jabberwock stepped back, slowly circling Hellboy again. Hellboy groaned as he pushed himself up off the ground, his body begging him to just stay down. Cracking his neck, Hellboy stood up facing the Jabberwock as it snapped its mouth again.

"Ok, now…I'm pissed."

The Jabberwock jumped forward bring its claw down at Hellboy again, but Hellboy dodged the shot, then leapt up, grabbing onto the Jabberwock's neck. The Jabberwock threw its head back to try and throw Hellboy off, but Hellboy gripped tightly. Pulling himself over, Hellboy was able to use the creature's movements to throw himself up onto the creature's neck. Holding on tightly, Hellboy started raining down punches onto the Jabberwock's head with his stone hand. The Jabberwock tossed its head from side to side to try and throw Hellboy off, but Hellboy continued to slam his fist into it. The Jabberwock suddenly pitched itself forward, rolling over into a somersault. Hellboy leapt off from the creature before he was caught under its massive weight.

Coming to his feet, Hellboy glanced to his side at a large tree that stood beside him. Grabbing it around its trunk, he groaned as he tore the tree from the ground. The Jabberwock rolled up to its feet and turned to face Hellboy, but was immediately nailed in the face with the tree as Hellboy swung it like a large baseball bat. The Jabberwock stumbled back as it was hit again as Hellboy swung the large tree back around. Lifting the tree into the air, Hellboy brought it downward, smashing it into the top of the Jabberwock's head. Lifting the tree again, Hellboy swung it at the Jabberwock again, but the creature threw its arm out, its claw smashing into the trunk of the tree and breaking it in half. Hellboy lifted what was left of the tree, hurling it at the Jabberwock. The tree small into the Jabberwock, exploding in a shower of splinters. Hellboy turned and jogged back, diving into a rock formation. The Jabberwock turned and looked around for Hellboy, roaring in anger.

Hellboy glanced out from behind the rock as the Jabberwock leapt into the air, extending its wings and flying above the ground, scanning for Hellboy. Hellboy watched as the Jabberwock, paused above a rock formation, opening its mouth and blowing fire down into the rocks. Hellboy noticed that every time the creature would get ready to fire, the two smoke stacks jutting out from its back would suddenly stop smoking for a moment, then belch a massive amount of smoke as it shot its flame off. Getting an idea, Hellboy slowly started climbing the tall rock he stood behind.

The Jabberwock slowly circled overhead, diving back towards another rock formation, but Hellboy suddenly leapt from the top of a rock, grabbing onto the Jabberwock's tail. The Jabberwock roared as it spun, flying back upward. Hellboy gripped tightly as the Jabberwock flew high into the air. Corkscrewing around, the Jabberwock tried desperately to throw him off. Slowly, Hellboy made his way up the Jabberwock's body as it spun wildly in the air. Reaching the creature's back, Hellboy grabbed one of the smoke stacks, bending it easily downward with his stone hand. The Jabberwock suddenly dove downward, flipping over so it was falling back first at the ground. Hellboy grabbed the other smoke stack, bending it as best he could when the Jabberwock suddenly pulled its wings out, coming to an abrupt stop and causing Hellboy to lose his grip and fall from the Jabberwock, landing in a heap on the ground.

Hellboy looked up as he pushed himself up. The Jabberwock circled in the air, smoke slowly starting to pout out from any opening across its large body. Flapping its wings, it hovered over Hellboy, opening its mouth up. Hellboy ducked his head down as the glow started to fill its mouth again, but suddenly the Jabberwock's back suddenly exploded outward in a massive fireball, the metal and internal machinery exploding out ina shower of fire and flaming debris. The Jabberwock let off one final roar as it fell to the ground, slamming into the ground and exploding in an even bigger fireball. Hellboy stood up, wiping blood that had begun running down from his mouth and nose away. Looking at the head of the Jabberwock, Hellboy watched as its yellow eyes slowly flickered, fading out.

"Jerk…"

Turning Hellboy started walking again, pulling the map back out from his coat.

------------------------------------------------

The Red Queen's fist was shaking with anger. Turning she looked down at the dead bodies of her science architects, her robotic card guards holding their now blood covered weapons at the ready.

"Why can no one finish this?!? I am surrounded by incompetence and failure!"

Her card guards turned to her, ready for any order she gave to them. The Queen's anger filled the room with a dark silence as she stared at the image of Hellboy moving into Wonderland Forest, her anger seething.

"I will see this Hellboy dead! I don't care if I have to burn this land to the ground, he will die!"

A slight chuckle slowly echoed in the throne room. Turning the Red Queen looked at the back of the throne room where Hatter sat squatting against a column. Sipping from his teacup, the Hatter smiled as the Queen stared at him in anger. Glancing up from under his hat, Hatter stood, bowing his head slightly at the Queen, his grin remaining on his face.


	7. A Revelation and an Introduction

Okay, I'm gonna start out by saying I'm sorry for ot working on this more, but a new job and college have taken up a lot of time. But I have the rest of the story pretty much sketched out in my head. I'll hopefully have the story done soon. But since i haven't done anything in awhile, I decided to post a quick chapter that will explain some stuff and lead into the next chapter which I am really looking forward to writing. Hope you enjoy.

* * *

It was quite a sight. Standing in the center of a large clearing, a large structure rose from the ground. The base was like any other small home, but from the center of the roof as large tower rose up another twenty feet into the air the face of a clock staring out over the field. It clicked and clacked every few moments as the two hands of the clock moved slowly. Hellboy stood at the edge of the clearing and stared at the building.

"Guess this would be the place."

Looking back down at the map in his hand, he saw that it had drawn the clearing and circled the structure with an arrow pointing at it. Shrugging, Hellboy stuck the paper in his pocket and walked through the clearing toward the building. A small fence surrounded the building, but it was made of wood and only three feet tall. Opening the gate, he walked up to the house and tapped lightly on the door. He heard the quick running of footsteps and the door opened slightly. Hellboy looked down at the man.

"Hey, we met before, but it was pre---"

The man yelped in terror and slammed the door shut again. Hellboy sighed.

"Okay."

Stepping forward, Hellboy planted his shoulder into the door and pushed inward, breaking the door's hinges. Stepping into the house, Hellboy leaned the door against the wall and looked around. Clocks were everywhere. One the walls, on tables, hanging from the ceiling, they were everywhere. Hellboy looked around and caught a glance of the man huddling behind a tall grandfather clock.

"I'm not here to hurt you. I was just told you could help me."

The pale man glanced out from behind the clock.

"Told? Told by whom? Help with what? I don't know anything! I only do what I'm told!"

Hellboy held his hands up.

"Relax…a Caterpillar and a guy named Hare told me you could get me into the Red Queen's castle. They said your name was Herald, right?"

Herald relaxed slightly, stepping out from behind the clock slightly.

"Why do you want into the castle?"

Hellboy sighed again.

"All I know is that the only was I can get home is to take this little thing…"

Hellboy reached into his jacket, removing the small white gem.

"…and stick it with the one the Queen has."

The man suddenly ran forward at Hellboy so fast the Hellboy barely noticed it. Grabbing Hellboy wrist, the man pulled his hand down to his eyes. Looking through his glasses the man smiled.

"You have the white half! You have the white half!"

Hellboy stepped back.

"Yeah…so I take it you'll help me out."

The man smiled, running quickly to a staircase and running up it talking so fast Hellboy couldn't keep up with what he was saying. Hellboy just shrugged.

"Guess that's a yes."

Walking around the room, Hellboy looked at the clocks, each ticking away. Turning he looked at the other side of the room and saw a number of pictures hanging from above a fireplace. Walking to them, Hellboy looked closely at one.

"I swear I know this guy."

The picture was a portrait of a man sitting at a desk with piles of papers around him. Hellboy suddenly stepped back, his eyes opening in realization. Herald ran back down the stairs, dressed in the same clothing Hellboy first saw him in, the large pocket watch in his hand.

"Must hurry! Must hurry!"

"Hey, who is this?"

Hellboy pointed at the picture. Herald glanced at the portrait and smiled slightly.

"Doggledon. He was the Historian of Wonderland before I. He disappeared shortly after the Red Queen rose to power. Very sad. He was by the White Queen's side when Red defeated her and Red Queen hunted him to no end. He has not been seen in many, many years."

Doggledon. Hellboy knew him by a different name. He recognized the picture, but the picture he remembered him from was an older version. More wrinkles, white hair, but the same man. Doggledon was Charles Dodgson. Hellboy chuckled.

"Well…that explains a lot."

Herald looked at him inquisitively at Hellboy, but shook his head quickly, pulling at Hellboy.

"We must go."

"Alright…alright."

Following Herald to the door, Hellboy grabbed it and pulled it back open. Herald looked at the door in Hellboy's hands as he held it. Hellboy grinned slightly.

"Yeah…my bad."

"Nevermind, we must go."

Shrugging, Hellboy dropped the door and walked outside. Following behind Herald, Hellboy started walking, but stopped as Herald slid to a stop on the grass. Hellboy looked down at Herald.

"Forget to set an alarm clock or something?"

"Oh dear……oh my…"

Herald's eyes were wide with fear as he looked out. Hellboy lifted his head up and stared out to what Herald was looking at. A slightly thin man stood leaning against the fence. An olive green over coat hung from his shoulders and a matching colored top hat sat on his head. The brim covered the man's eyes, but a wide smile adorned the man's face. Herald stepped slightly back.

"She sent the him…she sent Hatter."

Hellboy looked down at Herald, then back up at the man. Hellboy sighed, stepping in front of Herald, putting himself in between the pale man and Hatter.

"Just find a safe place and stay there until this is over."

Hatter slowly raised his head, the smile never leaving his face.

"Don't go far."

Hatter chuckled slightly as Hellboy stared at him.

"Ah, the great, red-skinned stranger…who seems to be quite a big danger."

Hellboy rolled his shoulder slightly, cracking it.

"Most people just call me Hellboy. Are you the next one the Red Queen has sent for me to kick the crap out of?"

Hatter smiled.

"I am her star among stars, the greatest of the great. I am the only one who matters…"

Hatter removed his top hat, revealing his dark red hair, and bowed slightly never taking his eyes off Hellboy.

"…I am Hatter."

Hellboy sighed slightly.

"Listen…can't we just forget about this? I've had a really long day and just want to go home."

Hatter simply remained smiling as he slowly stepped back, unbuttoning his coat. Shrugging his shoulders, the overcoat pooled down into a pile at his feet, revealing what was underneath. The black vest was covered in gleaming metal, dozens of knives of different sizes and shapes slid into sheaths across the vest. Flicking his hands out to his sides, two thin, long blades popped out from under Hatter's sleeves, folding out into his waiting hands. Hellboy raised an eyebrow.

"Aw, crap."


	8. Shiny, Sharp Fun

Once again, want to say sorry for not posting faster. I keep getting sidetracked, but I like this story and I know a few people who like it too and want to see it all the way up to its ending. I'm getting there, trust me. Onto the story.

* * *

Hatter chuckled slightly as he slowly moved the blades in his hands around. Hellboy stepped back grabbing one of the white fence posts that surrounded the clock tower, tearing it easily from the ground and holding it up.

"I really don't want to fight you."

Hatter simply laughed as he jumped forward slicing a knife downward at Hellboy. Hellboy stepped back bringing the post up and blocking the shot as the knife sunk into the wood of the post. Hatter twirled around, the other knife sailing across towards Hellboy's side, but Hellboy reacted just as quick, blocking the shot with his stone hand.

"But I guess you really do want to fight."

Hellboy stepped forward, pushing his weight against Hatter causing him to jump back, bringing the two knives back to bear.

"Which simply means I'm going to have beat the crap out of you."

Hellboy stepped forward as Hatter grinned, a knife in one hand folding back up into his sleeve. Reaching to his vest, Hatter quickly shot his hand out, three throwing knives slicing through the air towards Hellboy. Hellboy lifted his stone hand up at the last second, swatting the knives away. Hellboy brought his hand back up, but Hatter was already moving, rolling forward in a cartwheel. Landing on his feet, Hatter slashed downward with one of his knives, catching Hellboy across the cheek. Hellboy stumbled back as Hatter chuckled, holding up his knife as blood trickled down its razor sharp edge. Hellboy stood up running a finger over the cut across his cheek as he looked at the grinning Hatter.

"Okay…now I'm pissed."

Hellboy charged forward throwing the fence post like a javelin at Hatter. Hatter ducked down avoiding the post as it sailed through the air, but was too slow to avoid Hellboy as he brought his clenched fist up, nailing an uppercut on Hatter that sent him flying backward through the air. Hatter landed in a pile on the ground shaking his head to get the cobwebs out. Hellboy stepped forward grabbing Hatter by the leg, then spun whipping him around and sending him crashing into the fence surrounding Herald's house. Hatter smashed through the wood, rolling to a stop. Pushing himself up, Hatter laughed as he grabbed his fallen top hat, placing it back on his head. Hellboy simply strode forward as Hatter sat up laughing.

"You're definitely one of the weirder ones that I've met while here, I'll give you that."

Hatter suddenly rolled backwards, leaping up to his feet and throwing out three knives in a flash. Hellboy leapt to the side avoiding the knives just barely as they tore through his coattail.

"Son of a bitch, I really liked this jacket."

Hellboy charged at Hatter again, but Hatter leapt up hitting a hard kick into Hellboy's stomach doubling him over as the air rushed out from his lungs. Hatter stepped back, chuckling as he twirled the knives in his hands. Hellboy gritted his teeth in anger and brought his stone hand forward towards Hatter's face, but Hatter ducked underneath just in time. Hellboy's hand punched through the brick of Herald's house driving his arm deep into it. Hellboy pushed himself back from the wall, tearing out his hand and ripping a large hole into the wall.

"Oops."

Hellboy spun around and reacted quickly to bring his stone hand up broking the shot as Hatter crossed his two blades and brought them straight at Hellboy's neck like a pair of scissors. Hatter pushed forward with surprising strength as Hellboy kept his stone hand in between the knives and his neck.

"A little blood here, a little blood there…a cut up red stranger everywhere!"

Hatter laughed as he pushed at Hellboy again. Hellboy just kept himself firm.

"What the hell is with you and those stupid rhymes?"

Hellboy suddenly shot his other hand up, knocking the two knives away then grabbed Hatter by the neck and dropped down, flipping him over his head and sending him through the hole in the house. Hatter flipped through the air, crashing into furniture as he tumbled to a stop in the house. Hellboy climbed through the hole in the wall, stepping into the house. He glances around and saw where Hatter and smashed through a table and collided with a group of chairs, but Hatter was gone. Hellboy walked into a hallway of the house looking around. Walking cautiously towards an open doorway, Hellboy cursed under his breath as the floor creaked under his weight walking on it. Suddenly looking down when he heard the noise, Hellboy watched as a knife blade suddenly sliced up through the floor cutting through the wood between Hellboy's legs. The floor groaned loudly as the knife disappeared back beneath it.

"Aw, cra---"

Hellboy was cut off as the floor gave out from underneath him. Hellboy fell down into the basement beneath the house, slamming into the ground as wood from the floor crashed around him. Standing up, Hellboy shook his head and looked around in the shadowy basement. Light filtered through cracks in the floor creating streaks and beams of light the illuminated small pieces of the basement but also created large and dark shadows. Hellboy cautiously stepped forward into the darkness as he heard a chuckle from somewhere in the shadows.

"So we went from a brawl to a game of hide and seek?"

Hellboy heard movement behind him, but couldn't react fast enough as a knife arcs out from the darkness slicing him across the back. Gritting his teeth in pain, Hellboy dropped to one knee, catching a glimpse of Hatter as he jumped back into the shadows. Hellboy stood back up gritting his teeth as he looked around into the shadows for any movement. A glint suddenly caught his eye as a throwing knife spun through the air at him out of the shadows. Hellboy dodged the blade easily, but was unable to avoid it as Hatter suddenly appeared out from the shadows next to him, sweeping his legs out from under him. Hellboy landed in a heap on the ground but was able to roll to the side as Hatter drove a knife into the ground where his chest was moments earlier. Hellboy swung a punch at Hatter, but Hatter had already cart wheeled backward back into the shadows.

Hatter chuckled as he moved through the shadows circling the tall red stranger as he blindly looked for him in the darkness. Reaching to his vest, Hatter let his hand flutter across his remaining blades. He was running low on throwing blades, but he had a few more specialty knives. Grinning, he slowly pulled a curved blade from its sheath and twirled it in his hand as he circled around to the back of Hellboy.

Hellboy had heard the chuckle and caught a glimpse of a shine out of the corner of his eye, but didn't react to it. Listening intently to the darkness, Hellboy stood his ground. Hatter suddenly leapt from the shadows behind him, swinging the curved knife blade at Hellboy's neck, but Hellboy, ready for an attack from behind this time, spun around at the last second, his stone hand grabbing Hatter around the wrist as his other hand caught him around the neck. Pulling Hatter's face closer to his own, Hellboy's grip around Hatter's neck tightened.

"Got you, you little bastard."

Hellboy stood up, lifting Hatter up above his head and simply through him upward, sending him crashing through the floorboards overhead. Jumping up, Hellboy pulled himself back up to the first floor of the house. Hatter was back up to his feet and charged at Hellboy, leaping up and driving all of his bodyweight into him. Hellboy tumbled backward, smashing through the already broken front door of the house, crashing into the ground as Hatter rolled off of him back to his feet. Hatter immediately brought one of his long blades straight down at Hellboy's face as Hellboy lay on the ground, but Hellboy reacted too quick, grabbing the blade with his stone hand. Pushing the blade to the side, Hellboy released it with Hatter still having all of his weight pushing down. The knife blade sunk down into the ground and Hellboy brought his head up, hitting a headbutt on Hatter. Hatter stumbled backward stunned from the shot and was immediately driven into the ground as Hellboy rolled over onto his hands and feet, then bolted forward football tackling Hatter to the ground. Hellboy stood up spitting out some blood that had run into his mouth from his bleeding nose as a very dazed Hatter rolled over onto his hands and knees. Hellboy glanced up at the large clock face at the top of the tower over Herald's house and grinned.

"Didn't you mother ever tell you that you shouldn't play with knives!!!"

Hellboy reached down, grabbing the dazed Hatter from behind, easily lifting him up and spinning around. Hellboy swung around one more time, then let go, sending Hatter flipping through the air crashing straight into the face of the large clock tower, smashing through it. Hellboy stared at the hole in the clock tower as the roof to the tower slowly groaned, creaking and splintering. The roof suddenly gave way, collapsing into the tower. Hellboy wiped the blood away from the cut on his cheek with the back of his hand as he turned back around.

"Now where did that little guy go?"

"Is he gone?"

Hellboy looked around, but didn't see Herald anywhere.

"Yeah, I took care of it."

Hellboy turned back around, startled to see Herald standing behind him looking down at his large pocket watch.

"Too much time wasted, we must be going."

Hellboy stared at the pale man for a moment as he stepped past Hellboy, moving quickly.

"Sure."

Hellboy followed Herald as they moved away from the clock tower and down a pathway into the forest. However, back behind them, a few moments after they disappeared into the trees, a knife blade suddenly cut up through the wreckage at the top of the tower, gleaming in the setting sun.


	9. Grave Discovery

Yes...I'm still alive...just been busy. Sorry about this taking so long.

* * *

Hellboy walked behind Herald as he quickly moved through the forest. The little man was fast, but stayed slow enough so that Hellboy could keep pace with him

"Hurry! Hurry! No time to waste!"

Hellboy sighed.

"Yes, I know…you've said that like a hundred times already."

Herald moved around another bend sliding to a stop as the pathway they jogged along branched apart, splitting into three different pathways. Herald glanced at the three pathways, looking down each one. He quickly started to step back, standing next to Hellboy. Hellboy raised an eyebrow looking down at Herald.

"Uh…so which way?"

"This isn't good…no good at all…"

"What?"

"This path did not branch out here."

------------------------------------------------

The Red Queen sat on her throne looking into the orb. Her lips slowly curled into a wicked smile as she slowly started to twirl her finger.

------------------------------------------------

Hellboy stepped back as Herald jumped behind him. The ground suddenly started to shudder under their feet as the center of the three pathways suddenly split, literally cutting into the forest in front of them turning what was a three-way split into a four-way.

"This is the Red Queen, she uses her magic to trick us. We must pick the right path, danger waits down the others."

Hellboy grinned as he reached into his coat, pulling the map that Hare had given him.

"It'll be okay, see I got this little piece of paper that shows me…"

Looking down at the map, Hellboy watched as it slowly drew the four paths sitting in front of him, each pathway slowly stretching out, but suddenly starting to spiral, circling within itself until to coiled to a stop. Hellboy took a deep breath as he reached up rubbing his temple.

"Screw it…"

Pushing the useless map back into his jacket pocket, Hellboy picked a random path and started walking down it. Herald stayed close behind him looking all around for any sign of trouble.

"But what if this is the wrong path? What if we run into danger?"

"Don't worry…dealing with danger is my thing."

------------------------------------------------

The Red Queen's eyes lit up with sadistic glee as she watched Hellboy and the traitorous Herald walk down the path.

"We shall see how well you deal with this."

------------------------------------------------

Hellboy walked down the path, his eyes scanning the forest around them. Herald stay close to Hellboy, his head jerking around to every slight noise in the forest.

"So where exactly are we going?"

"To Wonderland City. To the Red Queen's castle."

"Yeah, that much I figured. Any idea on how we're getting in?"

Herald spun around as a branch cracked somewhere behind them.

"Yes, but we must hurry!"

"Yeah, you just keep on saying that."

Hellboy continued walking as the pathway in front of them suddenly opened up, revealing a massive open space within the forest. Hellboy stopped moving and Herald glanced around him to see. Herald quickly started to mumble in fear.

"Bad…bad…so very bad."

Hellboy just sighed as he stared out over the massive graveyard, hundred of headstones jutting up out from the dirt. Dead trees dotted the massive graveyard, their dry and black branches hanging over the grey and moss covered headstones. In the center of the graveyard a single small house sat, smoke slowly curling up from its chimney. Over Herald's mumbling, Hellboy could hear what sounded like cheerful humming echoing out from within the house. Herald started to step back.

"It's her…it's the Duchess…"

"The Duchess?"

"We must turn back!!!"

Herald turned to run, but stopped in his tracks when he saw that the forest had closed in, the pathway they had just walked down disappeared and replaced by the tangle of trees and thick brush of Wonderland Forest. Hellboy looked back and shrugged.

"Looks like there's only one way to go. Just stay close, you'll be okay."

Hellboy slowly moved forward into the graveyard, Herald mere inches behind him. Hellboy moved quietly, but stopped as the door to the house in the center of the graveyard suddenly opened. An old woman wearing a dress with what looked like red flower covered apron on slowly stepped out, looking out at Hellboy who stared back at her. The old woman smiled as she looked at Hellboy.

"Well hello there, stranger. It's been a while since I've seen anyone come through these parts."

"Yeah…guess that's what happens when you live in the center of a graveyard."

The old woman's eyes glinted with a look that sent a chill up Hellboy's spine.

"It'll be good to try some new recipes."

"Listen lady, I'm not trying to offend you, but we don't have time to sit down and enjoy a meal."

Herald suddenly began jerking wildly on Hellboy's coat.

"That's not what she means!"

Hellboy looked down at Herald, then back at the old woman, suddenly realizing that her apron was not covered in red flowers, it was covered in splotches of blood.

"So what exactly happens now?"

The Duchess smiled widely at Hellboy.

"Dinner time!"

A hand suddenly shot up out of the ground grabbing Hellboy around the ankle. Hellboy stepped back tearing himself from the hand's grasp. Looking around, Hellboy watched as the ground started to shift in front of each grave. Herald stared on in horror as rotting and skinless arms pushed their way up through the soil, the undead corpses dragging themselves up from their graves. Hellboy stepped back as the corpse in front of him pushed itself up and out of the dirt, its body rotted and half gone. The skull stared at him with empty eye sockets as its mouth opened up emitting a breathless wheeze. The Duchess let off a cackling laugh as more undead stood up, surrounding Hellboy and Herald. Herald let off screams of terror as Hellboy sighed.

"Great."


	10. Undead Beatdown

Hellboy stepped back as the dozens of undead stood around him and Herald. Glancing down at Herald, Hellboy grabbed him by the back of his collar and lifted him up onto his back.

"Hold on."

An undead suddenly leapt forward at them, but Hellboy simply stepped forward punching the body's head clean off with his stone hand. Hellboy grinned.

"Well, that works."

The undead slowly moved forward, the circle around Hellboy growing ever smaller with each passing moment. Every few moments, one of the walking corpses would jump forward, flinging themselves at Hellboy, but Hellboy turned there old, decayed bodies into a pile of bones just as fast. Herald clutched onto Hellboy's back like a scared child, yelling at each hiss of a breathless undead opening their mouth.

"We must hurry! We don't have time for this!"

Hellboy grabbed another walking corpse by the neck turning and throwing it through the air and crashing into a group of others.

"You want to tell them that?!?"

The Duchess laughed slightly as Hellboy continued to fight.

"Try all you wish, but it is all fruitless."

Hellboy punched the head off another body and turned to the woman, pointing his stone finger at her.

"I'll get to you soon enough, granny."

Duchess simply laughed as Hellboy grabbed another undead, slamming him into the ground so hard his body simply fell apart. Hellboy stood up, but was immediately shoved backwards as two of the undead leapt onto his chest, their boney hands clawing at his face. Herald screamed as he pushed himself low on Hellboy's back to avoid the hands. Hellboy reached up grabbing the two corpses, pulling them from his body. The two continued to claw at him, but Hellboy brought them together, slamming the heads into each other and caving them in and then throwing the lifeless bodies into the growing group surrounding him and Herald.

"This is getting really old, really fast."

Hellboy spun just in time to grab another undead as it leapt at him. Grabbing the corpse by the arms, Hellboy grinned as he simply pulled to the sides, ripping the arms clean off the body. The now armless body dropped back down to the ground and started to move at Hellboy again, but Hellboy used the corpse's own arm to smash it across the head. The group of undead was now very close to Hellboy, so Hellboy just grinned and started spinning back and forth, smashing the two severed arms into the bodies around him, knocking them back. Herald pulled on Hellboy's jacket.

"We must hurry!"

"Yeah…"

Hellboy slammed a severed arm into the head of another undead so hard it broken the arm, giving him only one to now use.

"…you just keep saying that."

Hellboy looked around, trying to find anyway out from the mass of arms and heads around him. Finally looking down, Hellboy stepped forward.

"Screw this!"

Grabbing the heavy tombstone, Hellboy pulled it up from the ground, lifting it up. Stepping forward, Hellboy threw the stone as hard as he could into the wall of undead in front of him. The stone flipped through the air and plowed into the walking corpses, smashing through them easily and cutting a row straight through. Hellboy quickly started running through the hole as it almost immediately started to close in around him. Hellboy kept pushing forward, but saw that the wall was already starting to form in around him.

"Damn it."

Reaching back, he grabbed Herald, lifting him up off his back.

"Hope you don't you know how to roll with a landing."

"Wha---"

Herald was cut off a Hellboy launched him like a javelin, sending him flying up and over the group of undead. Herald screamed as he flew through the air, making it back over the wall of the graveyard and landing in a heap on the ground. Standing up, Herald glanced back and saw Hellboy swinging with his fist, smashing into the corpses around him, but they seemed to be like an army of ants, swarming up and around him.

"No!!!"

Hellboy tried to keep the creatures around him off, but they were moving all in one mass, pushing themselves into and over him. Herald watched in horror as Hellboy fell to the ground, the group of undead around him, swarming around him. The Duchess laughed with glee as her children brought the big red stranger down to the ground.

"Yes! Yes! Yes! Such a big meal he shall make!"

"To Hell with that, you old bag!"

The Duchess' smile fades as the mass of undead suddenly surged upward. They all pushed back down, but Hellboy pushed upward again, smashing up through them and sending a number of them flying through the air. Hellboy slammed his stone fist down, crashing through a group of undead, and then swung his hand backward, slapping through another few and smashing them to dust.

"This is really starting to piss me off!"

Grabbing another tombstone and ripping it up from the ground, Hellboy swung it from side to side like a baseball bat, smashing easily through the corpses around him. On another swing, Hellboy released the tombstone sending it hurling through anything in its way. The Duchess ducked down as the massive stone sliced over her head and crashed into her house, smashing a gaping hole into it. Standing back up she screamed in anger, her eyes burning with hate. Hellboy stared for a moment, grinning then continued smashing through the undead around him as he made his way out of the graveyard and towards Herald.

"You must get past the wall!!!"

Hellboy looked up at Herald who was waving at him to hurry towards him. Hellboy stretched out his arm, grabbing three undead and tossing them over his head as he pushed forward. Something suddenly collided into his back, causing him to stumble forward.

"What the crap?"

Glancing back Hellboy saw the Duchess had grabbed onto his back, her face transforming. Her mouth stretched out, widening and opening wide as her teeth grew to sharp, jagged fangs. Hellboy raised an eyebrow.

"What…the…crap?"

The Duchess lifted an arm upward, her fingers sounding as if they were breaking. Her fingers suddenly elongated and sharpened, becoming talons. Swinging down, she sliced into Hellboy's back, making him yell in pain. Somewhere over the noise, Hellboy heard Herald yelling at him.

"To the wall! Get to the wall!!!"

Hellboy started running forward, plowing through the undead in front of him as he reached back grabbing Duchess and pulling her forward over his shoulder.

"You are one crazy-ass granny."

Duchess roared and snapped at him with her fangs as he held her back. She swung her arm to the side, punching Hellboy across the jaw with surprising force. Hellboy shook his head then looked at the Duchess, anger building in him.

"Now…I'm mad."

Grabbing her around the neck with his stone hand, Hellboy pulled back his other hand, then swung it forward, nailing the Duchess with a massive punch, sending her flying. The Duchess flew through the air screaming as Hellboy smiled. Flying through the air, she flew straight at Herald who stood, frozen in fear as she came at him. But as she flew over the small wall of the graveyard, her body immediately started to dissolve, fading away. She screamed in pain as her body disappeared, tearing apart from within, but was suddenly cut off as her head burned away, her skull remaining. Herald stumbled back as the now pile of bones fell to the ground in front of him. The army of undead around Hellboy suddenly groaned, stumbling around and falling to the ground, their bodies breaking apart and their bones piling around the ground. Hellboy glanced around, and shrugged as he kicked over a skull that sat on the ground in front of him.

"Well…that works."

Walking to the edge of the graveyard, Hellboy walked up next to Herald and looked down at him.

"So what was that? How did you know she would die if she left the graveyard?"

"I didn't. I just needed you to hurry. We mustn't be late."

Hellboy stared at him open mouthed as Herald turned and started down the pathway through the forest. Hellboy watched after him for a moment then started after him.

"Hey…wait a second! You and me need to talk!"

-------------------------------------------

The Red Queen screamed in anger as she sat on her throne watching Hellboy jog down the path at Herald. She looked down her throne room lifting her hand at one of the card soldiers that stood guard in the room. The card soldier suddenly lifted up off the ground flying up the high ceiling and smashing into it before being immediately pulled back down, slamming into the floor of the throne room, its body breaking to pieces. The throne room suddenly began to shake, dust falling from the high ceilings as the chandeliers over heard wavered back and forth. The Red Queen's eye flooded red with anger as she screamed with anger causing her entire castle to shake even more.

But just a soon as it started, it suddenly stopped. The Red Queen's eye returned to their normal color as the castle stopped shaking. Looking at the nearest card soldier, she spoke calmly and clearly at him.

"Raise the soldiers."

The soldier turned to the Queen.

"How many my Queen?"

The Red Queen glared into the floating image of Hellboy talking to Herald as they walked.

"All of them."


	11. Maze Massacre

The smell that filled Hellboy's nostrils was a whole new kind of horrible. He had been having what he usually would consider a normal few days, but to Hellboy, a normal few days involved also having a walking fireball and fish man walking next to him as he carried a really big gun instead of a small albino sitting on his shoulder continuously telling him to hurry up. He could stand the constant fighting of giant monsters than he had once only thought were in a book or a Disney movie. He could stand being pestered by a man with a giant watch. He could even stand not being able to take a shower, which at that moment he desperately needed and wanted. He would even be able to stand the waist high brown sludge that he was trudging through in almost pitch black. But the smell…the smell was really starting to make this a bad day.

"I swear, if we don't get there soon, I'm gonna climb up on your shoulders and make you trudge through this slop."

"Don't be ridiculous. It would waste far too much time to stop."

Hellboy glanced at the man sitting on his shoulder, dimly seeing the man in the light of his Zippo lighter.

"Little man, I swear to---"

"We're here!"

The man pointed to a grate in the side of the sewer wall. The metal was old and rusted and it was easily ripped from the wall. Hellboy tossed the grate to the ground, immediately regretting it as the brown sludge splashed up onto him. Hellboy closed his eyes, cursing very loudly inside his head.

"Why have we stopped? We must keep moving."

Hellboy let off a long sigh as he opened his eyes and continued down the passage. Thankfully, the tunnels started to angle upwards and the sludge dropped in level until Hellboy was standing on the brick on the ground. Herald leapt off his shoulder, dropping to the damp ground and continued moving forward.

"Further we must go."

Hellboy stayed a step behind him, raising a stone finger.

"How far? How much farther? I followed your directions out of the crazy ass forest evading groups of walking and talking cards that had lots of swords and spears…and don't think I didn't forget about those big ass bugs. I still got that damn goo stuck under my boots! So you tell me how much farther do we have to go?!?"

Herald, who had largely ignored Hellboy's rant, suddenly stopped and spun around to look at Hellboy.

"We're here."

Herald pointed an old rotted ladder that led upwards to a grate in the ceiling. Hellboy dropped his finger and held his arm loosely at his side.

"Oh…"

"The rebels that were led by the Caterpillar after the rise of the Red Queen built this way into the Queen's palace to conduct raids. The rebels are long gone, but their entrance still remains."

Herald leapt up, grabbing onto Hellboy's back.

"Up, up, up."

Hellboy sighed and started up the ladder, the old wood creaking and cracking as his heavy weight, plus the weight he now carried on his back, began to climb upward. Reaching the top, Hellboy took a deep breath as the ladder creaked again, hoping that the rung he stood on would hold for one more minute. Herald reached up and unhinged the cover over their head.

"Push upward slowly."

Hellboy raised his arm up and shoved up. Dust and dirt dropped down, filling the air around the two as they cover pushed upward. The grass covered hidden cover was pushed up and shoved to the side by Hellboy. Herald leapt off his shoulder through the hole and Hellboy followed closely behind him. The passage opened up to a grassy cube, walled by large bushes on all sides and a thin opening cut into one side. The grass was brown and dead, the bushes overgrown and unkempt. Looking up, Hellboy saw the upper portion of Wonderland castle, its massive peaks and towering walls.

"We must get through the maze."

"Maze?"

"We are at the center. We must get through to the gardens and then to the castle."

Herald looked up at Hellboy.

"The last time I went through this maze it only took me two days. Much better than the time before that. But then again it has been quite a few years since I've done this maze."

"A few years?"

"Yes."

Hellboy grit his teeth and looked up at the castle that stretched high into the dark sky.

"Screw this."

Hellboy moved forward, walking past the pathway cut into the maze to the wall, pushing straight through it. He continued through the maze, breaking through the old bushes, forming a Hellboy sized hole as he went. Herald ran after him.

"Wait…wait! We can't alarm anybody!"

"Don't care."

Hellboy pushed through another wall and spun just in time to catch the point of a spear as it came within inches of his head. Hellboy held the spear in his stone hand and stared at the face of the card soldier holding the other end.

"This whole place has brought me to a whole new level of pissed."

Stepping forward, Hellboy punched through the face of the card shoulder sending sparks and robotic pieces flying backward. Ripping the spear out the grip of the soldier Hellboy turned to see two more card soldiers running at him. Hellboy simply spun his shoulders around, sending the spear sailing through the air and through the first card soldier and into the second. Herald glanced through the hole behind Hellboy at the three destroyed card soldiers as the big red demon in front of him turned around and looked at him.

"I am getting out of this place even if I have to level everything in my way to get there."

Hellboy reached to the ground and lifted the sword of one of the card soldiers then continued pushing through the brush of the maze. Pushing through one more wall, Hellboy finally was out of the maze, staring across a wildly overgrown garden, across which was the base of the Red Queen's castle. A door to the castle suddenly was flung open and card soldiers began pouring out into the garden. Hellboy turned to Herald and looked down at the wide-eyed man.

"Stay behind cover. When you get a chance get inside and wait for me there."

Herald nodded as Hellboy looked upward, staring into a pair of glowing red eyes that stared back down at him. The Red Queen stood on her balcony and stared down at Hellboy, her hands gripping the railing so hard her knuckles had turned white. She watched as her army of robot card soldiers poured out into the gardens below. Hellboy held the sword at his side and cracked his neck, his eyes moving back down to the soldiers running at him.

"I love to break things."

Hellboy stepped forward and threw the sword. The sword pun through the air, slicing through three card soldiers before embedding itself into the trunk of a mushroom tree. Spinning quickly, Hellboy spun around the swing of a sword, then stepped forward and punching the soldier so hard it sent the robot flying backward into a group of other soldiers. Lifting a fallen spear from the ground, Hellboy held it out straight, then spun it around, swinging its point through the air with precision, slicing off arms and legs and heads of card soldiers. Grabbing up another spear, Hellboy launched it through the air into a card soldier, and then spun, blocking the sword strike of a soldier behind him. Gripping the wrist of the card soldier, Hellboy stepped forward, slamming his boot into the soldier, tearing out the soldier's arm and sending the robot card backwards.

"There may be a crap load of you, but at least you guys aren't that tough."

Hellboy gripped the sword in one hand as he held the spear in the other. The card soldiers slid to a stop, holding back for a moment as Hellboy stared at them, a number of destroyed soldiers lying at his feet. Hellboy held out the spear, pointing it at the soldiers.

"You guys coming or what?"

The soldiers started forward, but Hellboy beat them to the punch, running at them and surprising them. Hellboy smashed through the wall of card soldiers, sending them flying as he charged the doors of the castle. Hellboy felts spears and swords cut him as he blocked as many of the shots as he could. Finally making it to the entrance of the castle, Hellboy turned, swinging the sword around and slicing through the card soldiers behind him and sending the other soldiers stumbling back. Glancing inside, Hellboy saw Herald squatting behind a suit of armor. Knowing that Herald was inside Hellboy stepped forward again as if he were going to charge the soldiers again causing them to step back and get ready for it, but Hellboy grinned as he stepped back again, shutting the massive wood doors and sliding the spear through the handles of the door, jamming it shut.

"Idiots."

Hellboy listened as the soldiers pounded against the door trying to get in. Hellboy looked at himself in a mirror inside the great hall they stood in and saw cuts scattered across his entire body, but none that were too bad. Herald stepped up behind Hellboy and pointed down the hallway.

"Down the hall to the stairs, then up the flights to the throne room."

"Yeah…so far so good."

Hellboy looked down at Herald.

"You stay here and hide. I'll take care of the rest."

Herald nodded and ran down the hall. Hellboy took a deep breath and cracked his neck, starting towards the end of the hallway.

------------------------------------------------------

The Red Queen stared down at her army of card soldiers trying to force themselves through the doors into the castle, sighing at the ineptitude of her soldiers. Turning away from rail of the balcony, the Queen walked into her throne room, turning to the two portly men standing either side of her throne.

"He comes."

Both bowed their heads and spoke as one to their queen.

"Yes, my queen."


	12. Round 2

Hellboy walked down the hallway towards the huge spiral staircase the wound itself upward into the castle, but slid to a stop as a knife cut through the air inches in front of him, embedding itself into the wall just in front of his head. Hellboy just dropped his head slightly, shaking it gently.

"Didn't I kill you already?"

Hellboy turned and looked at the grin of Hatter who stood staring at him, his clothes tattered and torn and his face cut and bruised.

"Our party is far from over."

Hellboy sighed, lifting a stone finger and pointing it at Hatter.

"You really want me to kick your ass again?"

Hatter simply reached to his back, sliding a thin, long sword from a sheath at his back. Hellboy simply dropped his stone hand to his side, cracking his neck.

"I take that as a yes."

Hatter bolted forward, driving forward with the sword. Hellboy sidestepped the strike, bringing his stone hand up and knocking the sword upward, then driving forward with his other hand clenched into a tight fist, trying for a quick knock out. Hatter dropped to his knees, sliding under the punch with grace and ease. Leaping back up to his feet, Hatter swung a leg back, driving a hard kick square into Hellboy's back, causing him to lose his balance and stumble forward. Hellboy spun around as he caught himself just in time to dodge another swipe by the sword. Moving backwards, Hellboy used his stone hand to block the constant barrage of swings from Hatter.

"You bested me once and you will only ever best me just that once."

Hellboy suddenly grabbed the sword tightly in his stone hand, pulling it and Hatter forward until he looked face to face with him.

"I can't tell you how many people have said that to me before."

Hellboy smiled wide and Hatter began laughing maniacally. Hatter pulled back sharply, his sword pulling away from Hellboy's grip, but Hellboy reacted quickly, reaching to his side and pulling a suit of armor forward and sending it crashing down on top of Hatter. Hellboy pushed the pile of metal off Hatter, grabbing him by the collar and lifting him up to his feet again. Hatter brought his sword up, but Hellboy was able to block the strike with his stone hand, spinning and launching Hatter down the hallway and into the large room that had the spiral staircase winding upward. Hatter landed in a heap on the floor, rolling to a stop. Hatter's laughter eachoed down the hallway as he used his sword to stand upright, his laughter continuing as blood slowly started to trickle down from the side of his mouth. Hellboy simply stood ready for the next attack.

"Just do us both a favor and give up already."

Hatter grinned as he lifted his sword up, holding it upright in front of him, gripping the handle with both hands. The sword suddenly snapped, splitting apart into two separate swords. Hellboy raised an eyebrow as Hatter went into an attack pose with both swords pointed at Hellboy.

"Hey…how did you do that?"

Hatter just laughed as he spun forward in a twirl, swinging the blades around him like a tornado of razor sharp steel. Hellboy stepped backward, jumping back just as a sword slashed at him. Hatter stopped his twirl and drove forward with both blades. Hellboy was barely able to avoid the strike, his own clumsiness saving him as he tripped over the fallen suit of armor and fell under the sword blades as they sliced through the air. Hellboy immediately rolled backwards as Hatter swung both swords in an 'X', grinding them across the stone floor and slicing through Hellboy's coattails. Rolling back up to his feet, Hellboy charged forward, driving his shoulder into Hatter's stomach and lifting him off the ground. Hatter slammed the hilts of his swords into the back of Hellboy, but Hellboy just grit his teeth as he leapt off his feet, driving Hatter straight down into the stone ground with his shoulder. Hellboy stood up and lifted Hatter up from the ground, whipping him around and launching him upward. Hatter was able to pull himself around in the air, gripping onto a chandelier before he collided into it. Hatter hung from the massive red crystal chandelier, looking down at Hellboy from the high ceiling. Hellboy just looked up at him, pointing upward with a stone finger.

"Come on back down here, you little monkey, I got my own rhyme for you. One, two, three, four......I'm gonna kick your ass just like before!"

Hatter smiled a bloody smile as he swung his sword upward, slicing through the chain holding the chandelier in the air. Hellboy dove out of the way as the massive structure plunged down at him, Hatter leaping off the side and back flipping to his feet just as the chandelier touched down, hitting the ground and exploding into a shower of red. Hellboy slowly climbed up to his feet and turned just as Hatter leapt up over the crumbled chandelier, swinging the swords downward at Hellboy. Hellboy brought his stone hand up and blocked one of the swords, but Hatter swung the other one in a downward arc at the last second, dropping it under Hellboy's stone hand and slicing it across his arm and the front of his shoulder. Hellboy stumbled back, clutching at the slice in his arm, blood slowly seeping out from the wound. Hatter stood still, lifting the now bloody sword up and examining it. Hellboy grit his teeth and stared at Hatter.

"You're gonna pay for that, you little freak."

Hatter's eyes snapped away from the blood on the sword and stared dead into Hellboy's own eyes as he mouth contorted into an even more maniacal grin. Hellboy stood up, pulling his tattered jacket off and tossing it to the floor and then raised his stone hand up ready for the fight. Hatter suddenly moved forward, driving the point of one of his swords into the ground and using it to launch himself into a jump kick at Hellboy. Hellboy moved to the side, dodging the kick and swinging his fist upward, catching Hatter as he flew through the air. His fist drove into Hatter's stomach, knocking him down to the ground, but Hatter was quick to recover, rolling out of the way just in time to avoid Hellboy's boot smashing into the stone where his head had just been. Hatter leapt up to his feet, swinging a sword backward at Hellboy, but Hellboy was able to knock the strike away. Grabbing Hatter by the neck, Hellboy lifted the man up into the air and slammed him back down into the stone ground with massive force. Hatter was able to swing a sword blow around and slice across Hellboy's chest, but Hellboy hardly felt the cut, his adrenaline and anger pumping through his system. Hatter laughed as Hellboy picked him back up and flung him into the backwards into the wall. Hatter slumped slightly against the wall, his arms loose by his side, as Hellboy stood up, clenching his stone hand into a fist. Hellboy reared back, just about to drive his fist into Hatter's face, when Hatter suddenly ducked down, swinging a kick into Hellboy's legs and knocking them out from under him. Leaping up, Hatter used his knees to pin Hellboy's arms to the ground and drove downward at Hellboy's head with a sword.

"Hatter!"

The point of the sword froze, mere centimeters from Hellboy's eye. Hellboy let off a sigh and looked across the hall to Hare who stood in the center of the hallway, his eyes fixed on Hatter. Hatter smiled as he looked up at Hare.

"About time you came, give me one more minute and I give you the same."

Hatter turned back to Hellboy, lifting the sword to strike it down again, but Hare called to him again.

"No. Forget about him, Hatter. Is it not about time me and you finished what we started years ago?"

Hatter paused again, looking down at Hellboy, his mind clearly torn between killing Hellboy and the man who stood across from them. Hellboy looked at Hare.

"How long have you been standing there?"

Hare ignored Hellboy and grinned as he squatted down so he was eye to eye with Hatter.

"Is it not time we found out which one of us is truly better?"

Hatter smiled, standing up and stepping off Hellboy. Hellboy rolled to the side and stood up, ready to attack Hatter, but he was stopped by Hare.

"No…go and finish this…"

Reaching to his back, Hare unsheathed two swords of his own, pointing one of them at Hatter.

"…this one is between me and him."

Hare reached into a pouch at his side, pulling a small mushroom out and tossing it to Hellboy who caught it.

"Eat that."

Hellboy ate the mushroom and felt his body suddenly start to immediately feel better. Looking down, he saw the cuts and slices across his body slowly start to mend and heal themselves faster than even his accelerated healing could do.

"You couldn't give me some of those a long time ago?"

"Go."

Hellboy turned and ran to the staircase, starting up the large spiral and leaving the two other men behind. Hare looked Hatter up and down, then reached into the pouch again and tossed another mushroom to Hatter. Hatter caught it and raised a curios eyebrow.

"I want you at your best."

Hatter simply smiled as he popped the mushroom into his mouth. Hare held the swords out, moving into his fighting pose. Hatter cracked his neck, his cuts and bruises almost immediately going away, and then looked at Hare with cold hatred as he moved into his own fighting stance.


	13. Giant's Brawl

Hellboy was in full sprint as he ran up the winding staircase. The sounds of a great and massive sword fight echoed up to his ears from the bottom of the staircase. Looking over the railing, Hellboy saw the two tiny figures of Hare and Hatter below him leaping around and swinging wildly at each other with theirs swords. Hellboy paused for a moment, almost turning to head back down and wanting to help Hare, but Hare had made it clear that whatever was going on between he and Hatter was just between he and Hatter. And Hellboy could respect that, even if it meant having to fight Hatter again at some point if Hare wasn't as good as he thought he was. Looking upward, Hellboy saw that he hard a long distance to still go, so he went on the move again, taking the steps two to three at a time as he ran up the staircase.

"There he is!"

Hellboy looked up the staircase to see a squad of six card soldiers running down at him. Hellboy grinned as he continued charging forward, rounding another flight of stairs and driving himself into the card soldiers, sending them scattering. Hellboy slid to a stop, crabbing a card soldier from the ground and lifting him easily up before whipping him around and throwing him into two soldiers who were climbing back up to their feet. Lifting a sword up from the ground, Hellboy turned, swinging it down and slicing a soldier clean in half before bringing the sword back around and driving it through the remaining soldier. Dropping the sword to the ground, Hellboy lifted a spear and continued up the stairs. Reaching the top of the staircase, Hellboy leaned over, trying to catch his breath.

"Well….that sucked…"

Sucking in a deep breath, Hellboy straighten himself up and walked to the two heavy wooden doors of the Red Queen's throne room. Stepping forward, Hellboy planted his boot square into the doors, trying to kick them open, but the doors did not flinch. Hellboy jumped back, dropping the spear and clutching his foot.

"Crap…crap….crap…."

The doors suddenly groaned and slowly opened up, swinging into the throne room. Hellboy looked at the doors and shook his head as he grabbed the spear up off the ground. Walking into the throne room, Hellboy saw the Red Queen sitting on the throne as if she did not have a care in the world, her voice echoing in her cavernous throne room.

"I am surprised to see you have actually come here. Most would consider it stupid, if not suicidal, to even think to storm my castle without an army."

Hellboy grinned as he looked around the throne room, looking at the massive stone columns that stretched high to the ceiling of the room where large red crystal chandeliers like the ones throughout the entire castle hung. Suits of armor flanked either side of Hellboy, the empty helmets staring forward as Hellboy walked past them. Walking along the red carpet that stretched the entire length of the room, from the door to the throne, Hellboy cracked his neck and pointed the spear at the Red Queen.

"Yeah, well, if you knew me good enough, you'd expect me to do the stupid things."

The Red Queen raised an amused eyebrow at Hellboy, a grin slowly forming on her face.

"I would imagine so."

Hellboy suddenly sprung forward, launching the spear at the Queen. The sharp spear streaked through the air, the head aimed at the Queen's face, but the spear suddenly froze in mid-air within a foot of the Queen, hovering harmlessly. The Queen let off a chuckle.

"Did you really imagine that to work?"

Hellboy shrugged.

"Hell, I don't know…seemed like a good idea at the time."

The Red Queen let off another laugh that echoed in her throne room as she lifted her hand up waving it casually in front of the spear causing it to turn to dust and fall harmlessly to the ground.

"You are quite the red fool."

"Yeah, well, there's a lot of people who would probably agree with that. But still, do yourself a favor, just give up."

"What?"

Hellboy sighed and just looked at the Red Queen.

"Just…give…up."

The Queen's face suddenly changed from amusement to anger, staring at Hellboy with cold eyes.

"You dare to say such words to me, you impudent little worm!"

Hellboy shrugged his shoulders.

"Look, I've beaten a giant worm, a big damn mechanical dragon, a cat that was just annoying, some lady who wanted to take a bite out of me, an army of soldiers, both card and undead variety, and a knife happy lunatic. Everything you throw at me, I beat. Why?"

Hellboy held his arms out at his sides and smiled wide at the Red Queen.

"Because I'm me."

The Red Queen nearly leapt off her throne as she stood up, stepping forward and yelling in anger at Hellboy.

"All pawns on MY chessboard! Pieces I move about to play with those whom I see fit."

Hellboy just lifted his stone hand up.

"Listen, sister, I'm sure in your own head you think you're something great, but c'mon…"

"Enough of this!!!"

The Red Queen's eyes filled with red for a moment, before the returned to their normal color in a blink. Stepping back to her throne, she sat and crossed her legs, raising her hands up. Two short, fat men slowly moved from behind the two columns next to her throne and stared at Hellboy blankly. They stood maybe five foot tall and weighed at least three hundred pounds each. They kept their heads low as they looked at the Red Queen, not daring to look into her eyes.

"My dearest Dee…my precious Dum…kill this stranger for me."

Both bowed their heads and turned back to Hellboy, stepping down the stairs to the throne until they were level with Hellboy. Hellboy just looked at them, and then back up at the Queen, laughing slightly.

"Seriously?"

The Red Queen's smile returned to her face as she looked at Hellboy.

"Oh, Dee and Dum may not look to be too much, but then again, they are so much more than what they seem to be…"

The two men suddenly turned towards each other and charged. Hellboy watched in amusement as the two men slammed into each other, their bodies seeming to form together. Hellboy suddenly stopped laughing as red energy surged around the two men, blinding Hellboy for a moment. As the red energy disappeared, instead of two short, fat men standing in the throne room facing Hellboy there stood a twenty-foot tall muscular giant. The Red Queen laughed as Hellboy stepped back a little bit.

"…because Tweedle is so very much more than anyone you've come across in my land."

Tweedle lifted his head, bellowing a roar that echoed so loud in the throne room that the floor shook under Hellboy's feet. Hellboy looked upward as Tweedle as the monster looked down at Hellboy smiling with razor sharp teeth.

"Crap."

Hellboy turned and dove out of the way as Tweedle slammed his fist down into the stone floor causing the stone to crack and spider web across the ground from the force of the blow. Hellboy launched himself back behind a column as another massive fist smashed into the ground behind him. Rolling back up to his feet, Hellboy grabbed a sword clutched in the hand of one of the empty suits of armor lining the throne room, pulling it away just as the column behind him exploded as Tweedle drove his fist through it. Hellboy reacted quickly, swinging the sword around and slicing it across Tweedle's outstretched arm. Roaring in anger, Tweedle pulled his arm back just as Hellboy swung the sword again, missing the strike by inches. Hellboy suddenly was wrapped up in a powerful grip as Tweedle reached around the column with his other hand, grabbing Hellboy and pulling him out into the center of the throne room. Like a child with a toy, Tweedle tossed his arm to the side, sending Hellboy flying through the air before hitting hard into a suit of armor and turning it into sheet metal with the force. Hellboy rolled to his hands and knees shaking his head trying to clear the cobwebs, but just as soon as they went away he was lifted back up into the air as Tweedle grabbed him by the leg. Tweedle dangled Hellboy in front of his face and roared.

"So I guess they don't have breath mints in Wonderland…"

Tweedle simply roared, pulling Hellboy up, them slamming him into the ground, lifting him back up and staring at him again. Hellboy shook his head, staring back into the big eyes that looked at him.

"Are you kidding me? Is that really the best you can do?"

Tweedle simply repeated the move again, lifting Hellboy back up. Hellboy rolled his head back, and then shook it again.

"Okay...that wasn't bad...but still, I've been hit harder by girl scouts! Is that all you got?"

Hellboy turned to the Red Queen who was simply laughing as she sat and watched the show.

"Yeah, you keep laughing, cause soon enough---"

Hellboy was cut off as Tweedle slammed him into the ground again, and then lifted him up again. As Tweedle pulled Hellboy back up, Hellboy swung the sword in his hand, slicing it across the face Tweedle. Tweedle, roaring in pain and surprise, lost his grip on Hellboy, who landed in a pile on the ground, rolling out of the way just as Tweedle smashed into the ground where he once was. Climbing back up to his feet, Hellboy raised the sword to swing at Tweedle again, but Tweedle just stepped forward, hitting a kick that sent Hellboy sailing through the air and crashing into a stone column.

"Okay…that kinda hurt…"

Hellboy pushed himself back up his feet only to be slammed back into the column as Tweedle pinned him against the column with his hand. Hellboy felt the air escape his lungs as he tried to breathe against the mass of force pressing him into the stone at his back. Tweedle leaned down to go face to face with Hellboy and just grinned at him as he pressed Hellboy harder. Hellboy clenched his teeth, using all his strength to push his arm back, and then drove it forward, the blade of the sword puncturing straight through Tweedle's hand. Tweedle roared in pain, and then just stepped back, throwing Hellboy straight up into the air. Hellboy yelled as he flew through the air, pausing momentarily as he felt his body go weightless for that one instant, before he plummeted downward. At the last second, Hellboy reached out and grabbed the rim of a chandelier, jolting himself to a stop. Looking down, he saw Tweedle looking up at him, but before Tweedle could try to reach him, Hellboy swung himself upward, throwing the sword in his hand into the chain attaching it to the ceiling. The chandelier, suddenly broken free from what held it high in the air, plummeted with Hellboy's added weight on top of it. Tweedle raised his arms to block the blow, but the heavy crystal and even heavier Hellboy plowed into the top of him.

The Red Queen sat on her throne watching as the cloud of dust and shattered crystal slowly settled, revealing Hellboy lying on top of Tweedle, who lay on his back on the ground, his arms and face sliced up from the crystal of the chandelier. Anger welled up in the Red Queen as the saw Hellboy start to move around, coughing as he rolled off Tweedle, holding the sword loosely in his hand.

"Ouch…"

Standing up straight, Hellboy cracked his back and looked at Tweedle.

"You're not so tough."

Looking back at the Red Queen, Hellboy pointed at her with a stone finger.

"And now---"

Hellboy was cut off as Tweedle started moving around, pushing itself up. Hellboy immediately turned around, running up and slamming the sword in his hand into Tweedle's head down to the hilt. Tweedle dropped back down to the ground, his body slumping lifeless. Hellboy turned back to the Red Queen, lifting his finger up again.

"Like I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted…now, onto you"

The Red Queen clenched her hands into fists so hard that they were shaking. Her eyes filled with red as she stood up to her feet, red energy surging through her body.

"Very well…but I will make your death long and painful. I will rip your flesh from your body strip by strip. I will boil your eyes from your skull. I will---"

Hellboy just raised his hand up, cutting her off.

"HEY!!! Can we get on with it already?"


	14. Return of the Queen

The Red Queen stood before her throne, her eyes burning with red energy as she stared at Hellboy in hate.

"You are a fool."

Hellboy just chuckled at the Queen.

"Been called that a lot. Now can we maybe get on with this?"

The Red Queen lifted her hands, holding them out to face Hellboy.

"See what happens when you stand against the Red Queen!!!"

The Queen's entire body began to glow red, before the energy surged forward through her arms and exploding outward in red bolts of lightning. Hellboy stepped back; raising his arm up to try to cover himself from what he was sure was going to hurt. However, inches away from impact, the lightning split apart, moving around Hellboy and reforming behind him and then impacting on the massive wood doors of the throne room causing them to explode into splinters. Hellboy moved his arms down a little opening one of his eyes a little bit. Realizing that he hadn't been hit, he dropped his arms and let of a sigh of relief. Turning around, he saw the destroyed doors and let off a whistle.

"Damn."

The Red Queen snarled and screamed in anger, firing another, even more powerful bolt at Hellboy but it too moved around him, exploding behind him. Hellboy looked back, and then reached into his pocket, pulling the white gem out and looking at the small symbols carved into it to see that they had begun to glow. The Red Queen dropped her arms, angrily clenching her fists around the red gem that hung from her neck.

"Even in death my sister mocks me."

Hellboy let off a laugh and looked at the Red Queen, holding up the white gem.

"Well that's a bitch, huh? All your magic seems to be worthless as long as I got this little guy."

The Red Queen glared at Hellboy, lifting her head up and standing tall.

"While my power may not be able to harm you directly…I assure you I will still destroy you."

"How's that by talking me to death? Or maybe screaming until my head explodes?"

The Red Queen raised her arms up, holding her palms upward, red energy flowing through her body.

"Hardly."

The entire throne room suddenly began to shake and shutter, dust falling as cracks began forming across the ground and ceiling and down the columns of the throne room. Hellboy stood motionless as he took in what was going on around him. Red energy suddenly shot out from the Queen, slamming into all the suits of armor that were still in one piece across the throne room. Hellboy watched as the armor suddenly started to move, stepping off the pedestals, raising their weapons, and walking towards him. Hellboy just shook his head.

"Are you serious? All of this rattling just to bring a few more guys to life so I can kick their asses?"

The Red Queen simply smiled. Hellboy just shook his head, walking back to Tweedle's dead body and wrenching his sword out from the skull of the dead giant. Turning to face the suits of armor, Hellboy held the sword up, readying himself. He suddenly saw two giant chunks of the stone floor explode upward on each side of the Red Queen, hovering gently beside her. With a laugh, the Red Queen whipped her arms forward, sending the one-ton chunks of stone hurdling towards Hellboy.

"That might make things more difficult."

Hellboy dove out of the way as the stone slammed into the ground, bouncing before they collided into the wall behind him. The Red Queen suddenly began to float upward, hovering above her throne and looking down at Hellboy.

"I will bring my own castle down upon your head to see you die!"

Hellboy stood up, bringing the sword up in a swipe and slicing it through a suit of armor that had raised its spear to strike him, the now destroyed pile of metal falling to the floor.

"Yeah, well.......uh.......screw you!"

Driving the sword into the helmet of another suit, Hellboy ripped it to the side pulling the helmet clean off the armor. The throne room shook again and Hellboy saw the column just in time to dive forward and out from under it as it slammed into the ground, billowing up of wave of dust and crushing a group of suits behind Hellboy. Rolling to a stop, Hellboy jumped back up knocking two suits of armor backwards before slicing the sword through a third in front of him and diving to the side in time to avoid another block of stone soaring through the air at him.

"Geez!"

Jumping back up to his feet, Hellboy drove his foot into a suit of armor, sending it flying backwards into another group marching toward him. Looking up at the Red Queen, Hellboy watched she used her power to rip another large chunk from the wall, sending it downwards at him. Hellboy leapt backward, timing it just right so that the stone crushed a large number of suits of armor instead of him. Knocking a sword out of the hand of a suit of armor, Hellboy grabbed the suit, lifting it above his head and hurling it towards the Red Queen.

"Let's see how you like it!"

The Red Queen was suddenly engulfed in a bubble of red energy, the suit of armor slamming into it and disintegrating.

"Crap."

The Red Queen laughed as Hellboy dodged another heavy stone chunk dropping at him, only to roll into the middle of a group of suits. Swinging his sword around, Hellboy destroyed as many as he could before leaping out of the way of another column collapsing on top of him. Hellboy pushed himself back up to his feet, looking around and trying to figure out a way to end this. Hellboy looked up at the Red Queen and then grinned slightly, before jumping up onto one of the destroyed columns, standing on it.

"I hope this is another one of my bad ideas that work."

The Red Queen looked down to the floor, clenching both her hands. The throne room shook even more violently as a massive piece off the floor was ripped upward. Lifting the piece up, the Queen looked down at Hellboy and screamed.

"Die!"

Hellboy held himself ready as the huge piece began flying towards him, reaching into his pocket and grabbing the gem out, clutching it in his hand.

"Oh, please let this stupid idea work."

Hellboy suddenly leapt forward, timing it just right to where he landed on the piece as it was flying, using it to vault himself even higher, directly at the Red Queen. The Red Queen's face turned to surprise as Hellboy flew through the air at her, reaching out with his hand.

"No!!!"

Hellboy reached out, slamming the gem in the palm of his hand against the gem hanging around the Queen's neck, just as he began falling downward. Plowing into the ground at the base of the Queen's throne, Hellboy stood up, looking at the Red Queen. Her red energy shot out across the entire throne room as the screamed in terror. The gems around her neck began to glow bright, blindingly white, causing Hellboy to hold up his hand to block the light from his eyes.

"No!!! I will not be defeated!!!"

The Red Queen clutched at the gems around her neck trying to tear them away, but they burned her hands as she touched them. A tornado of energy suddenly swirled around the Red Queen as she let off another scream, engulfing her entirely. The entire castle began to shake violently as the black clouds outside began being lit up by streaks of lightning cutting through them. To Hellboy it felt like the world was ending around him. The red energy throughout the room suddenly changed color from red to white, lighting the entire throne room almost blindingly. Around Hellboy, the floor suddenly began to put itself back together and columns stood up, piecing themselves back together. The suits of armor all fell to the ground harmlessly as the energy giving them life was sucked out of them, swirling into the tornado overhead. Hellboy heard the Red Queen let off one more defiant scream of anger, before the throne room was filled with the deafening roar of the tornado. Hellboy dropped down to one knee covering his head as the room shook more and more and more. However, just as fast as it had started, it suddenly stopped and everything grew silent.

Hellboy stood up, looking out the balcony of the throne room to see the black sky lighten until it was bright blue. Looking behind him, down the throne room, Hellboy saw Herald running into the throne room, Hare close behind him. Both slid to a stop halfway down the throne room, dropping to one knee and bowing their heads. Hellboy raised an eyebrow, but suddenly spun around as a soft hand touched him on the shoulder. Spinning around, Hellboy thought that he would have to fight again, but was met with the sight of a gorgeous woman clad in white robes, her flowing blonde hair cascading down her back and over her shoulders. Her blue eyes stared at Hellboy with kindness and love as her smile made Hellboy smile back in return. The White Queen stood before Hellboy, touching him lightly on his shoulders.

"Thank you, stranger. You have done a great deed for my kingdom in defeating my sister."

Hellboy, standing a few steps lower than the White Queen, stood eye to eye with her, his eyes never moving from hers.

"Uh…no problem. Just kinda what I do."

Herald was suddenly next to Hellboy, kneeling before his Queen.

"My Queen, it is an honor to see you again."

Looking down at the small man, the White Queen bent down, lifting his chin, to look into his eyes.

"And it is a pleasure to see you again, my dearest Herald."

Hare, looking as if he had been through hell itself, moved to the other side of Hellboy, his body badly injured from the battle he had with Hatter. The White Queen looked upon Hare, touching him lightly across the cheek.

"And you Hare. You fought against my sister's control and stood against her. You are the bravest of all creatures in this land."

Hare bowed his head.

"Thank you, my Queen."

Pure white energy suddenly flowed from the Queen's hand, flowing over Hare and healing his body. Turning back to Hellboy, who still had not taken his eyes away from hers, the White Queen laid a hand gently on Hellboy's cheek.

"Dearest stranger, name what it is you want and I shall grant it to you, for the service you have done myself and my people is immeasurable."

Hellboy grinned and let off a chuckle.

"Honestly…I really just want to go home. This place is nice and all, but I'd rather stick to where I came from."

The White Queen smiled, leaning her head down to Hellboy.

"As you wish."

The White Queen gently kissed Hellboy on the cheek, then pushed him backwards with a slightly shove into his chest. Hellboy teetered backwards, loosing his balance on the step he stood. Swinging his arms around trying to keep his balance, Hellboy suddenly fell backward.

"Oh…crap…"

His caught a glimpse of the White Queen's smiling face one more time before he suddenly felt himself enveloped with water. Swimming himself upward, Hellboy pushed through the surface of the small pond, coughing and choking. Wiping the water from his eyes, he saw a pair of green, webbed feet standing on the side of the pond. Looking up Hellboy saw Abe staring down at him, trying desperately hard not to laugh.

"Are you okay, Red?"

Hellboy stared up at Abe, wide mouthed.

"How long have I been gone?"

Abe stared at Hellboy curiously.

"Did you hit your head when you fell in that pond, Red?"

"What? No!"

Hellboy sloshed over to the side of the pond, pulling himself out of the water with Abe's help.

"I figured you guys would have sent a team in after me or something."

"Red, what are you talking about? I looked out and saw you fall into the pond, then came out here to find you coughing up a lung."

Hellboy just stared at Abe, opening his mouth to say something, but stopped, shaking his head.

"You know what? Nevermind… you wouldn't believe me anyway."

Abe chuckled slightly as Hellboy patted out his clothes, trying to dry them as best he could. Kate came out through the patio doors, calling to the other two.

"Hey guys, c'mon. We're done searching the house."

Kate stared at Hellboy for a moment, noticing the soaked and tattered clothes, but just shook her head, walking back into the house. Hellboy sighed as he started towards the house with Abe next to him.

"Red?"

"Yeah?"

"What happened to your clothes?"

"Long story."

Abe simply shrugged as he followed Hellboy out of the house and back into the SUV. The line of vehicles pulled out of the driveway of the house, turning back onto the old country road and disappearing in the rolling hills. Back at the Dodgson house, the chirping birds in the back of the house suddenly grew silent. A shadow suddenly started to form in the clear pond in the back of the house causing the birds to all fly away, the air filled with the sounds of flapping wings. But just as soon as the noise started, it stopped, the entire house growing quiet once more, until the pond splashed a little, the point of a knife cutting through the clear pond water and up into the air, a gloved hand clutching the handle.

**THE END**

* * *

I hope you all enjoyed the story as much as I liked writing it. This has definately turned out to be my most popular story to date. And as I like to do in most of my stories....I left it with an open ending for possibilities that might come one day. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!


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